


Hidden

by Lou1013



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-19
Updated: 2013-08-23
Packaged: 2017-12-24 00:30:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 42,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/932998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lou1013/pseuds/Lou1013
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This takes place where season two picks up. It follows Oliver and his team's attempts to rebuild their lives after the destruction of the Glades. It follows on from some of the spoilers in the Season two trailer shown at comicon. I don't own Arrow or any of it's characters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Hidden

It had been five months since they had seen him and he wanders back in like he never left! How dare he? They had to move on and continue his work while he disappeared. He made the excuse that he needed to assure the overseas Queen consolidated stockholders that there was somebody still in charge of the company. Still though- it seemed a cowardly way out. And Oliver Queen was anything but cowardly.  
Felicity had moved to a new office two floors above her old office. A huge reshuffle had taken place when Moira Queen was imprisoned, awaiting trial for her part in the undertaking. Walter Steele had taken on a greater role in the headquarters in Starling City. His fondness for Felicity Smoak had encouraged him to promote her to logistical planning. Felicity still had no clue what made her uniquely qualified for this job. She was happy with her computers in the IT department. This position had more responsibility, and a lot of meetings if she was to be honest, but it really wasn’t too difficult a leap for her.  
One Monday morning, John Diggle came to visit her. It wasn’t at all unusual for her friend to drop in, but they usually tried to keep their meetings to the new and improved lair.  
“Hey Felicity.” Dig had slight trepidation in his voice this morning.  
“Hey Dig. What’s up?” Felicity immediately saw behind him, a very slightly coy looking Oliver Queen. Well as much as Oliver could ever be called coy I suppose.  
“Look who called for a lift from the airport this morning. Fresh off the Queen private jet from Melbourne.” Diggle tried to sound more enthusiastic than he actually was. After all he had only a few brief conversations too with Oliver since he abandoned them five months ago.  
“Well look who it is. The prodigal son returns!” Felicity tried to sound slightly disinterested and use her pissed off tone while aggressively shuffling some files on her desk.  
Oliver approached her slowly. “How are you Felicity?”  
“How am I?” Felicity tried not to allow too much emotion to sound in her voice. “How are we? That is what you should be asking? Well Felicity, how is this broken city managing since the destruction of half the Glades? How is it managing to rebuild the broken fabric of society?” Felicity tried not to sound mocking but she pursed her lips together to stop anything else from pouring from her mouth. She took a deep breath and sighed. “Well at least you’re back.” A brief raise of the eyelids and almost a smile appeared. “And in one piece. The city could do with its vigilante back.”  
Oliver eyes darted to the ground briefly and then between his two closest friends. He took a deep intake of breath but with confidence said: “I didn’t come back to Starling city to take up my role as the vigilante again.”  
Diggle came up behind Oliver and place a light hand on his arm. “I respect that man…”  
He was cut off by a more than annoyed sounding Felicity: “I don’t!”  
The words hung in the air for a brief second.  
“The two of us have been holding together this city by the thinnest of threads. Crime has soared. We can just about hold off some of the assaults, rapes and assorted wrong-doings but that’s about it. We’re fire fighting with water guns. This whole place has gone mad.” In any other circumstance Oliver would have taken the time to smile at what he assumed was Felicity’s loud voice. However right now he was astonished.  
“What do you mean the two of you? Has Diggle been out patrolling?” He looked between the two of them. He had missed them so much. He had missed the way Diggle kept him in line. He had missed the way Felicity made him smile.  
“Well man, we’ve both had to be out on the street a bit more. Felicity does most of the support from our underground headquarters, but occasionally I need backup in the field.”  
“ What?” Oliver almost shouted in Diggle’s face, squaring his body towards his former bodyguard. “Are you insane? You’re bringing Felicity out on patrol?”  
Felicity put the gentlest of hands on Oliver’s arm to indicate he should move back from Diggle. “Oliver I’m right here. Don’t talk about me like I’m not”   
Oliver acted like he had barely heard her. “Felicity could get hurt. How could you do that?”   
Diggle raised his hands half-heartedly in defense but spoke calmly in a low tone. “Oliver we brought her on missions before. She knows the dangers. I’m training her and she’s getting damn good. You should see her shot?”   
“You gave her a gun?” Oliver almost shouted at Diggle.  
“Again guys- right here!” Oliver turned slowly to face her, feeling the slight pressure she was putting on his arm.  
Oliver looked at Felicity face on, his fists flexing and releasing by his sides. She was different from he last saw her. She used to rarely wear her hair down but she stood in front of him with a more assured demeanor, her hair straightened and hanging free. He loved the way her curls used to bounce on her shoulders but that aside, she looked good. She seemed comfortable in her new role. Walter had rang him when he had just left Starling City to ask him about Felicity and whether she could do with promotion. Walter had asked how Oliver knew her and he had partly lied and said she just did IT for his club but that she definitely was in need of a promotion. And a definite raise!  
“Did Diggle just say you were a good shot?”  
“Yeah I’ve been doing some weapons training. Since I’m a little smaller than Starling City’s finest criminals, it’s mostly a gun I use.” Felicity shrugged her shoulders like this was an every day piece of news.  
“A gun? And patrolling. This is dangerous Felicity.” He took deep breaths to keep his voice lowered, in case her coworkers could overhear their conversations!  
“Well Oliver. We had to do something. You abandoned me. What was I suppose to do?” Her words hung for a second. Oliver was inches from her but she wouldn’t let him see her slight tremor. She had wanted so much to see him again. Yet she couldn’t help the anger she felt either. She added quieter: “I meant you abandoned us. All of us.”


	2. Chapter 2

Hidden Chapter 2

Felicity had missed Oliver. She didn’t like to admit that she did because she was still a little angry at him. He had turned up in her new office and declared that he wouldn’t be putting back on the Hood any time soon but she’d be damned if she let him away with it that easily.   
When they had left her office, she had insisted he look at the newly refurbished secret lair under Verdant. Oliver had said he would look at the place but that didn’t mean he was getting back in the Hood any time soon.   
Diggle drove the Bently, acting the part of the good bodyguard. Felicity sat in the back with Oliver. For the first five minutes, Felicity stared pointedly out the window, not saying a word. Oliver was shocked when they approached the Glades. He knew the destruction was devastating but he hadn’t seen for himself in nearly five months just what a toll it had taken on the city. He passed more run down buildings, homeless shelters and devastation that he remembered.   
“The city really has gone to shit.” Felicity turned to him at his statement. Her expression softened slightly. She knew the guilt that he felt. She knew that he held himself responsible. Well she felt responsible too. It was her job to find and disarm the device and she failed. She failed herself, Oliver, this city and all those who died. A knot curled in her chest at the thought. This thought visited her daily.  
“Yeah Oliver, it has.” There was no harshness in her voice. She looked up at him over the rim of her glasses.   
“I’m sorry,” Oliver said.  
“For leaving? Or for leaving and not returning? We needed you Oliver.” There was a slight break in her voice but she maintained her composure and continued. “I thought I had got through to you. The night of Tommy’s funeral… It’s just you left without even saying anything. We were worried.”  
“I sent you emails. Let you know I was alive.” Oliver looked for some solace in her eyes.  
“I know you did and I appreciate that. But you can’t just give up the Hood.”  
As if on cue, they pulled up to the back entrance to the club. When Diggle opened the door Oliver asked: “If Thea has been running my club, why does she not find it odd that you guys are always sneaking around the back entrance?”  
“We told her that since QC has been under so much scrutiny, that the company has Felicity running a high security server out of this building.” Diggle closed the door behind Oliver as he buttoned up his expensive suit.  
“And she believed that?” Oliver asked while helping opening Felicity’s door for her.  
“She didn’t really understand what a server was so she said ok and hasn’t bothered us at all since.” Oliver knew his sister was smart but that she wouldn’t have questioned the runnings of QC.   
Oliver punched in the pin as he remembered it but saw a room very much different to how he recalled. High tech computer equipment lined one wall. New training apparel lined the other. In a glass box he saw what looked to be his Hood outfit, but with some modifications.   
“For obvious reasons, I’ve now made this bullet resistant. Try not to test the resistance too much though,” Felicity said with a little spin in her step, as if showing off her new creation. “I’ve also been playing around with some arrow ideas since I got this 3D printer. It’s pretty cool.”  
Oliver was delighted to hear a bit more of the excitement in her voice- the kind he was used to.  
Oliver walked forward and saw what looked to be his bow. Only his bow had been destroyed by Merlyn. It sat, almost on display, in the middle of the room.  
“I tried to get this as close to your bow as possible. Hope it feels the same. I wasn’t easy getting a secret high spec bow made.” Felicity stared at Oliver as he turned it in his hands, feeling the weight.  
“You guys did all this?” Oliver asked. “Where did you get the money?”  
“You gave me a hundred and fifty grand in an untraceable Cayman bank account when you left five months ago. I’ve been trying to spread it out,” Felicity stated.  
Oliver turned to her shocked. “I gave you that money as a thanks Felicity.”  
“Well I appreciate that but I’ve been trying to put it to good use.”  
Oliver was overwhelmed that his friends were continuing on his crusade in his absence to make the City better. They had been patrolling, protecting and spending the money he had thrown at them to set up for his return. He didn’t know what to say. These two people were truly something.   
Oliver turned, his new bow in his hand. He still wasn’t sure about returning but the words came out of his mouth without thinking about it too much. “Thank you. Really, thank you. So where do we get started?”


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It had been two days since Oliver had returned to Starling City. A lot had happened in that time. He visited his mother in Federal prison. He hadn’t imagined it would be as hard as it was. He knew his Mother’s crimes were huge but she did attempt a last minute redemption. She looked a shell of her former self- none of the glamour and confidence he was used to. He kissed her goodbye while tears flowed down her cheeks and promised he would visit again soon.  
Meeting his sister again was not a fun homecoming either. Thea can been corresponding with him about reopening Verdant. But other than that, he had been just as distant with her as he had everyone else. She said she understood that Tommy’s death had taken a toll on him. She had no idea how much! How he had seen his best friend take his last breath and in his final minutes had lied to him and told him he didn’t kill his Father. Thea had done a great job with the club. The grand re-opening had been the week previously. The Queen name was hardly what it used to be, but the club still brought in the business. Oliver thought that Roy, despite all his flaws, had been a good support to his sister and a reasonable assistant manager. He had stepped up to the plate when he was needed.  
Then there was his meeting with Laurel. He had not talked to her since the funeral. She held a huge burden on her shoulders too. She felt like she betrayed Tommy by sleeping with Oliver when he was barely out of her bed. She couldn’t look at Oliver the same with this remorse. He went to see her at the new CNRI offices. She was busy looking over case files.   
She hadn’t been expecting him. Oliver didn’t know how their meeting would go. Laurel had been in his thoughts for five years on that island. He knew he would always love her. But he was very wrong to think that he should be with her. He fell out of love, romantic love, with her a long time ago. It took Tommy’s death to make him realize that.  
Laurel and Oliver spoke briefly. There was no bitterness and their conversation stayed quite superficial but both of them knew it was over. There was nothing between them anymore. The last remnants of desire had died in the rubble of the old CNRI offices. They agreed to meet for lunch in a week or two and parted on neutral terms.   
Oliver went to his newly refurbished headquarters under Verdant. He was utterly exhausted- a combination of an emotional few days and jet-lag. He hadn’t seen Felicity since he returned. When he said he’d rejoin the team, some of the old Felicity seemed to briefly return. She fist pumped when he liked his new bow and armor. She had blushed slightly when she told him to immediately strip and try his new leathers on. He had missed her babbling. But then she had left and he had been too busy to catch up with her since.  
When he arrived at the lair, Diggle was there. He was training on their new mats, lost in concentration.   
“Hey,” Oliver shouted over the clanging of metal on metal from the training area.  
“How are you doing Oliver?” Diggle picked up a towel and water and walked towards Oliver. “I know it’s been a tough few days for you.”  
Oliver sighed briefly and rubbed his temples. He unbuttoned his jacket and took a seat at one of Felicity’s computer. He inwardly smiled when he thought of her using the money he had given her for something so selfless. “Yeah it’s been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. I am sorry Diggle. I shouldn’t have been gone for so long. I still don’t know if I’m able to get back in the Hood.”  
Diggle mistook his intention and seemed a slight bit irate at his statement. “Then why did you say you would?”  
“Mainly because I though Felicity would kick my ass if I didn’t.” Both men laughed briefly at this thought. “Though seriously I couldn’t possibly not take up the Hood again, knowing what you guys have done.” He took in the surroundings again. Felicity had even got him a new Salmon ladder.  
“It has been tough. I’m not mad at you.” Diggle was a straight person who wouldn’t have lied if he was mad. “She is, though. But then Felicity has been different since the Undertaking.”  
“She does seem different. More confident too.”  
Diggle pulled a seat up next to Oliver. “Yeah she is more confident but that isn’t it. She obviously hasn’t been her chirpy self. I know that will come back to her eventually. She obviously suffered too. Feeling she could have done more to stop the second device. And being trapped in the falling rubble of this place couldn’t have been easy.”  
Oliver froze for the briefest of seconds at this statement and his eyes looked pointedly at the floor. His jaw stiffened slightly too.  
“Oliver?” He realized Diggle was staring at him. “Did something else happen to Felicity?”  
“Look Diggle, I don’t know how much you know about what she went through that night…”  
“She was trapped here until you got her out. You brought her home. She was scared that the ceiling would come in on her. That can be traumatic.” Diggle left the statement hang. He suspected something else had happened but never asked. “Oliver, do you want to tell me what else happened?”  
Oliver stood. “Look Dig, if she wants to tell you what happened, she will.”  
“Oliver she’s my friend. We have been literally fighting side by side for months. She’s getting good at hand to hand combat and she has saved my ass a few times but she has a darkness. She has no qualms about shooting the knee-caps out of somebody we come across doing no good. Does that sound like the Felicity that nearly threw up over you the first time she brought you down here bleeding? I want to be there for her.”  
Oliver sat back down. “Ok I’ll tell you. But only because I think it might help her if you know.”


	4. Chapter 4

Hidden Chapter 4

Felicity listened over the comm’s device at Tommy saying his last words to Oliver. She heard Oliver cry out for his friend. Tears streamed down her face. She shivered thinking of the life that had ended. The finality of death. She sobbed for Oliver, wished she could comfort him. The ceiling above her rumbled again and a large piece of plaster fell on one of her computers. Then her comm went dead.

Oliver sat in the rubble of CNRI, gripping Tommy’s hand. He whispered his name over and over, not able to believe that he was gone. He felt again for a pulse, a useless exercise since Tommy’s injuries were so catastrophic. A tightness gripped his chest, the same tightness he felt when his Father put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger.   
Out of the silence he heard Diggle’s voice over the comm. “Oliver I’m so sorry. But you have to get out of there. The place could come down on you too.”  
Diggle barely heard his response. “I hope it does.”  
“Don’t say that. More importantly you would be caught in your Hood outfit. How would your family feel if you die in that building and if they had to also come to terms with you being the Vigilante? Think about them.”  
Oliver slowly rose from the ground, Tommy’s blood on his hands. He placed a soft kiss on the top of Tommy’s head and is if in automatic mode, made his legs carry him out the back of the building.   
“Oliver I need to get to a hospital. This wound is bleeding pretty bad. I can’t get through to Felicity on the comm or her phone.”  
Diggle’s words broke through some of the numbness in his head. Felicity wasn’t answering. She had said she was fine and that he should go to CNRI. But that was half an hour ago. Oliver pushed back the grief from the forefront of his mind and wiped the tear tracks from his face. He ordered Diggle to get to a hospital. He jumped on his motorcycle and moved as fast as he could towards Verdant.  
There was carnage everywhere on the streets of the Glades. He didn’t have time to think about all these people suffering. He had to make sure Felicity was alright. She was one of the most selfless people he had ever met. She tirelessly worked every evening with him trying to make this city a better place. She was the real heart of their little trio. He had to make sure somebody was looking out for her.  
Felicity crouched underneath her desk, almost in darkness. A few of the monitors still gave out a glow of light but the overhead lights were mostly knocked out. All modes of communication were out. Her cellular phone didn’t get signal down here at the best of times, but it was completely useless right now. Some more plaster fell down from the ceiling, some lumps quite large. She tried to remember her earthquake drills from school and to keep taking deep breaths to calm herself. She heard a lot of rattling and shouting from up in the club- she couldn’t make out anything distinct because of all the soundproofing. She thought about trying to get out the back door but could see that some rubble from the ceiling was blocking the way.   
A loud banging roused her from her musings. The banging was on the door to the basement. For a brief second she thought maybe it was Oliver. Then she realized he wouldn’t have to break into the basement. Felicity knew there would be looters but hoped they would be happy enough to take what they could from upstairs in the club.  
“Felicity get a grip,” she chided herself. “There’s no way they can get through the door. Keep breathing and stay quiet and they will get bored.” As Felicity finished her thought, she saw one of the bolts on the door give way. Panic rose in her quickly.  
She looked around the lair. Her first concern was that if they got in, there were all sorts of indicators that this could be the Hood’s lair. She franticly tried to hide away arrows and equipment. She knew that this was probably fruitless but she had to try something to hide Oliver’s secret. The banging intensified and Felicity’s heart jumped in her chest when she realized the second of three bolts on the door had been blown off. She realized hiding was useless so she picked up a dagger and stood her ground.  
With a final loud bang, the last bolt of the door blew out and three men ran down the metal steps, two with hand guns and one with a shot gun.   
“Well looky here boys. It might not be the safe but we were left a nice little present down here.” The man speaking was tall, thin and greasy, the shot gun slung over his shoulder. He had a crooked, sneering smile on his face. The other two shorter men didn’t speak but stood snickering at their ring leader.   
“And look she thinks she can fight us with this little knife. Well sweetheart this here is a gun and it’s a little more powerful than that.” He walked towards her position slowly, each step making bile rise farther up in Felicity’s throat. Her heart beat throbbed in her ears and sweat pooled in her lower back. She tried to think of the training that Diggle had given her. She tried to not think about what they wanted from her.  
She tried her best to get some words from her mouth. “You’ll really regret coming down here. My partner will be here in a minute and he won’t be happy.” Felicity voice faltered only briefly. An acid taste bubbled in her mouth and she thought she would be sick.  
“Your partner? I’m terrified.” He gestured to his two drooling idiots of followers. “Aren’t we terrified boys?” The leader closed the last few step between him and Felicity until she was backed up against a cabinet. He used his free hand to twist painfully at the hand holding the knife. “Look hun, there’s a hard way and an easy way to do this. And I don’t really care which one we use. It’s just the easy way might be kinder to you.”  
Felicity immediately went into defense mode, pulling him in and using his weight against him and knocking the shot gun free from his hand. They both landed hard on the ground and she kicked him square in the face and clambered for the shot gun. The other two men were scrambling clumsily for their handguns. When she heard the cocking of one of the handguns and the cold steel against her temple, she stopped struggling for the shot gun. It was just beyond her reach. The leader jumped up and laughed, wiping blood from his nose. “We have a feisty one.”  
The two shorter men pulled her up by an arm each roughly and dragged her towards the ring leader. When she got nearer him, she flailed wildly and tried to kick him in the face again. He spoke, darker and more terrifying than before: “I get first dibs this time boys. Try to hold her a little still for me.”  
All the blood drained from Felicity’s face at his words. She tried to think quickly about how she could escape. Through the fuzzy noise in her head, she suddenly heard the clean whoosh of an arrow cutting the air. It hit the leader square in the right shoulder. The two men holding Felicity dropped her to grab their weapons. The leader grabbed the shotgun with his left hand began shooting uncontrollably at where he thought the arrow was coming from. His two friends scrambled and cowered as a large piece of plaster came loose from the ceiling.  
Felicity’s initial relief turned again to terror as she saw a large piece of the ceiling coming towards her. Oliver had obviously spotted it too as he sprang, as if from nowhere and grabbed Felicity and pulled her under a desk, using his body to shield hers. After what seemed like forever, the rumbling stopped. Oliver coughed as dust permeated the whole room. He felt Felicity’s small body flush against his but she felt limp. He hoped she hadn’t been knocked unconscious.   
He looked around the room and realized the three men had made their escape in the commotion.  
Oliver turned Felicity slightly, taking her almost into his lap, so that he could look at her. Her eyes were clamped shut but she was breathing. He realized she was conscious but her eyes remained closed. A line of tears had made tracks down her cheeks.  
“Felicity?” Oliver’s words were soft. “Look at me.” He brushed stray hair from her face. Slowly she opened her eyes but didn’t utter a word. “It’s ok. You’re safe. We’re getting out of here now.” Felicity nodded slightly.  
Oliver tried pulling her to her feet, her legs initially giving out under her but she quickly recovered. She held tightly onto Oliver’s arm. Her nails dug so tight, he could feel it through his leather. He put his arm around her waist and together they limped from the club.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hate to put poor Felicity through all this trauma but I hope I handled it sensitively enough. This Chapter also flashes back to the night of the Undertaking when Oliver takes Felicity home.

Hidden Chapter 5

Oliver brought Felicity back to her apartment building. She had not said a word on the ride here from the Foundry and had yet to look him in the eye. The power was out on her elevator since the earthquake earlier that night and he thought at one point he would have to carry her up the stairs to her building. However she persevered and held onto him like a life-line and slowly pulled herself up the 4 flights of stairs. She let go of Oliver’s arm briefly to find the spare key for her apartment that she had hidden away in a coded box near her door. Oliver watched with a heavy heart as she tried three times before putting in the code with shaking hands. He took the key from her and opened the door. If Felicity noticed that Oliver knew and put in the security code to her alarm, she didn’t show it.  
Felicity used her last energy to get over to a nearby chair and fall onto the edge of it. After a long minute of silence, she looked at Oliver properly for the first time and spoke. “I’m so sorry about Tommy. I don’t even know what to say to make it any better.”  
Within seconds Oliver was in front on her. He knelt on the floor, most of his green makeup completely covered in black dust. He put his two hands on top of hers and sat in silence for a while. “I lied to him. I told him his Dad was alive.”  
“You had to.” Felicity had broken eye contact again and was staring at their hands. She was so quiet he almost couldn’t hear her over the sirens outside. “It was the kinder thing to do.”  
“We don’t need to talk about this. You’ve had a bad enough time with fighting off looters this evening.”  
At his words, he noticed Felicity’s eyes dart up towards his, a unexplained flare of anger in them. “They weren’t just there to steal Oliver.” Her words were harsh.  
He had only seen the men in the basement and within seconds shot the arrows at them but he didn’t take any time to notice what was really going on. Oliver sprung up from the floor. “What?” He didn’t mean to sound like he was shouting at Felicity. “Did they hurt you?”  
“Well from what I gather from their sleazy leader, the words ‘Hold her still because I have first dibs’ can’t really have meant they had very good intentions.” Her words were loud and angry.  
Oliver’s stomach lurched. He felt nauseous. He didn’t have time to analyze the situation when he arrived earlier and it isn’t that he was naïve enough to think that when chaos ensues, the scum of the earth don’t take advantage of the situation. It’s just maybe that he hoped that the only reason they were in that basement was to steal. The thought that somebody would think of doing something so heinous to Felicity was horrifying. His sweet- natured Felicity.  
Anger flared in Oliver. “I didn’t get them.” His eyes were pleading, boring into Felicity’s. “I let them get away.”  
Felicity softened at how sad Oliver sounded. “There was hardly time for that. You were stopping the ceiling from coming down on me. You saved my life.”  
“What if I had been five minute later?” Felicity swears she saw tears welling in his eyes.  
She stood up from the chair and put a gentle hand on his chest. “But you weren’t five minutes later. Thank you.” Felicity had been trying to hold back tears but they flowed freely now. Her head fell forward and Oliver moved forward a few inches until her forehead rested on his chest, his arms coming up to pull her closer. She shifted slightly so that her arms now encircled his body. Her legs betrayed her though and she sagged against him.  
Oliver slowly fell down to his knees again. He cradled her delicate body against him. He felt her sobs against his chest, but she refused to look up. He allowed the tears to escape from his eyes in the darkness.  
The sun came up shortly after and he realized that Felicity had collapsed with exhaustion in his arms. Oliver swore that it if was the last thing he did on this earth, he would end the lives of those three men.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Felicity do a bit of training.

Chapter 6

Diggle was sickened as he listened to Oliver tell him about how he had found Felicity in the basement that night. He felt guilty that he was a little angry at Oliver for letting them get away. He realized that there wasn’t time and that Felicity’s life was in danger when the ceiling began to fall. But anger still bubbled in him at the thought that these men, if you could call them that, were still walking the streets.  
Diggle was jolted from his reverie by the beeping of the security door. Felicity walked towards the two men and slung her bag over the back of a chair.  
“What are you two boys doing?” Felicity asked cheerfully. Oliver hoped she didn’t notice the look of pity that Diggle was aiming at her for the briefest second before he composed himself.  
“Eh, nothing Felicity. Oliver and I were just catching up.”  
Felicity eyed Oliver cautiously, as if at any moment he might bolt again. She turned her attention back to Diggle. “Are we training tonight? I brought my gear,” she said, indicating the gear back by the door.  
“Sorry Felicity. I have to meet Carly.” Oliver didn’t know if Diggle was telling the truth or whether he just couldn’t compose himself around her this evening. “Tomorrow. I promise.”  
“Ah Diggle,” she pleaded, “I have the urge to beat something this evening. It’s been a long day at work. I used to be left alone in my nice quiet office and now I have to manage people. Me! All they do is come to me with their problems. I know I’m the department head and I’m not complaining it’s just I prefer computers, I think.” Felicity continued to ramble to herself. This brought a slight twitch of a smile to Diggle’s lips.  
“Sorry. But definitely tomorrow. Night guys,” Diggle answered hurriedly as he lifted his own gear bag off the floor and headed for the exit.  
“I thought I might train you tonight,” Oliver said with raised eyebrows. “I’ve been hearing about how skilled you’re getting.”  
“Oh no Oliver. I don’t think so.” Felicity went to sit in front of her computers.  
“Why not? You train with Diggle all the time?” Oliver feigned being slightly hurt by her rejection. “I’ll go easy on you.”  
“Oh really? Maybe I don’t want you to go easy on me,” she answered defensively. “You know what? You’re on Queen. Meet me back here in five,” she shouted back over her shoulder as she walked away to change.  
When Oliver returned, he found Felicity stretching on the training mat. She wore a pair of yoga pants and a loose grey T-shirt that hung over her form nicely. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her glasses replaced by contacts. Oliver tried not to seem like he was watching her too closely while she stretched. “All ready?”  
Felicity turned, slightly startled by his usual stealthy entrance. She tried not to let the little look of heat betray her as she saw at the side of the mat Oliver in nothing but his training pants. “You not going to put a shirt on?”  
Oliver looked down at his chiseled torso trying not to sound slightly hurt. “I never train with a shirt.”  
“Well you don’t usually train with me. It’s a little…”  
“A little what, Felicity?” A slightly cocky grin escaped him and he knew he had the upper hand going into the session.  
“Nothing. Let’s go.” Felicity leaped up from the mat.  
Diggle had been right. Felicity’s defensive positions were quite good. Her offense was still slightly limited by her smaller body habitus but she was good with a weapon. She got several good knocks on him with the wooden baton.  
“Ok now Felicity. Put down the weapons and take me down.” Oliver had a glowing sheen on sweat on him by now and Felicity tried not to let her particularly sexy boss and friend put her off.  
“Ok Oliver. No problem. Many big baddies have tried and failed to take you down but all five foot four inches of me will manage!” Felicity huffed with her hands on her hips.  
Oliver couldn’t help but grin at how cute she looked, her pony tail all mussed and a healthy glow in her cheeks. Her T-shirt had fallen off one shoulder, giving him a view of a very nice black bra strap that he tried not to focus on.  
“Give it a go Felicity. Just come at me and like we tried earlier, try to bring me down.” After several attempts, one or two that were almost successful, Felicity was fit to give up. Then Oliver asked her to trust him while he put his two arms around her waist from behind and instructed her on how to throw him. A surge of something went through Felicity. It wasn’t Oliver that she was imagining throwing and she summoned some inner strength and managed to get him to the mat. She jumped up and down with joy and was about to get Oliver to beg mercy from her, when Oliver curled his foot under her and pulled her to the ground. A quick roll over and he was on top of her.  
“Felicity, that was a great take down but don’t forget the second part of that is to not be taken down yourself.” Felicity huffed slightly and even pushed the slightest bit of her bottom lip out. “I’m not taking away from your victory but now I want you to get me off.”  
Felicity’s eyes widened and then she laughed. “I thought I was the only one who said things like that.”  
Oliver actually blushed. “I meant get me off of you. You know what I meant.” He lowered his head slightly so that it was almost on her shoulder and continued to laugh.  
Felicity couldn’t deny she was quite enjoying the feel of a hot and sweaty shirtless Oliver on top of her but all of a sudden she stiffened and as if a voice was screaming in her head, her mood changed.  
“I think I’m done Oliver. I need to go home.”  
Oliver sensed her immediate change in mood from laughing about his faux pas to suddenly getting a dark look in her eyes. He jumped up and offered her his hand. She accepted and attempted a half-hearted smile.  
“Sorry I’m tired.”  
“Felicity I thought maybe we could talk?” Oliver followed her to the computers where she slugged back her bottle of water.  
“We will. Just not now. I have a bit of a headache. Goodnight.” And with that she was swiftly gone.  
Oliver watched her walk the few steps from the back exit to her car on the security feed, like he always did and wished he could talk to her properly. He thought back to the night of Tommy’s funeral and hoped that it hadn’t messed up things between them. He had come to realize in his absence from Starling city, that she was one of the closest friends he had ever had. She accepted him despite all of his shortcomings, stood up to him when he needed to be stood up to and comforted him when he needed it the most.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened the night of Tommy's Funeral.

Chapter 7  
When Felicity left Verdant that evening, Oliver took to punishing his training equipment with a particularly vicious fervor. He had wanted to talk to Felicity properly but she ran out on him so quickly after the training session. He thought that training her might be a good way to break the ice again. He knew she was still angry with him for leaving. Though he guessed she would forgive him eventually or she wouldn’t have went to all the effort of getting The Hood new equipment and a new and improved lair.  
Oliver took a long shower, hoping to put all his thoughts together. He was still exhausted, but didn’t think his body would allow him to sleep yet. He checked the time and as it was only 10pm, he impulsively took a chance and texted Felicity. “Are you home? Can I call around for a few minutes?”  
Immediately after sending it, he felt guilty. Felicity had made it clear earlier that she had uneasy during their training session and that she wasn’t in the mood for a heart-to-heart with Oliver. He figured this was because he didn’t deserve her comfort and listening ear right now, after he deserted them. He was surprised when immediately got a text back. “Ok. But you better bring nice wine.”  
Oliver had to bite his finger to stop himself laughing out loud. She wasn’t that different from her former self after all.  
Oliver quickly cleaned himself up, put on a pair of jeans and a clean shirt and headed out to his car. On his way to her apartment, he stopped at an overpriced restaurant to ask them for their most expensive bottle of red because he didn’t trust a liquor store to have anything nice enough to bring over.  
When he exited the elevator on her floor, a young couple were entering it. They both eyed him knowingly and then he saw them whisper to each other as the doors closed. It used to amuse him when people recognized him but with the Queen name having been dragged through the dirt, it wasn’t quite as amusing as it used to be.  
As he approached Felicity’s door, he recalled the last time he called on her.

It was the night of Tommy’s funeral. He had starting drinking early. Things had gone from bad to worse when he scuffled with a photographer trying to take a picture of the graveside. Then he talked to Laurel and realized that the two of them could never been together. This stoked his appetite for alcohol even more and he moved from beer to harder liquor. Thea had told him he was drunk and they had an argument. He can’t really remember what about. When he told Diggle that he didn’t need either a bodyguard or a driver tonight, he sensed the worry in his friend’s eyes. Oliver brushed off Diggle’s offer to take him home and instead went to the sleaziest bar he could find. He loosened his black tie- his funeral tie he had called it and drank until he couldn’t see the numbers on his phone. He managed to eventually flag down a cab willing to take him anywhere in this drunken state. He felt sick and told the cab driver to take him to the closest place he could think of- Felicity’s apartment.   
It had been ten days after the destruction of the Glades. He had left Felicity in the early hours of the morning after telling her he needed to do something, anything, as there was chaos all around the city. He knew he was a coward, but he couldn’t face her since then.   
Oliver stumbled toward her apartment door. It was well after midnight but he could see a light coming from under her door. He banged hard on the door. “Felicity.” He sounded pleading, her name slurring off his tongue.  
Felicity looked through her peep hole and saw a very unsteady looking Oliver Queen outside. Felicity ran her hand over her face as she knew this wasn’t good to be good. She turned off her alarm and undid the bolts on the door. “Get in here Oliver before you wake the neighbors.”   
“Thank you Felic…Felicity,” he hiccupped. “I was just in the neighborhood.”  
“Really?” Felicity asked disbelievingly. “Where do you go in this neighborhood?”  
“Plenty of places my dear Felicity,” he bumped into her side table and knocked a candle to the ground. Oliver’s legendary reflexes were not quite at full capacity right now. “Sorry I’ll buy you a new one. Have you got anything to drink?”  
“Plenty of water.” Felicity eyed Oliver quizzically. Here was the man she trusted enough that she kept his secret. The man she knew was an exceptional human, even when he was barking orders at her and snapping down the comm. Here was the man that always apologized to her later, in his own way, when he asked too much of her. This was the man that occupied a lot of her night-time fantasies. She tried to push all these things to the back of her mind as she saw this man now, barely able to stand on his own two feet.  
“Water is no fun.” Oliver noticed she was still in her black dress from the funeral earlier. “Why didn’t you come talk to me earlier?”  
“From everyone’s point of view, I didn’t know Tommy at all. I had no right to be chief mourner at his funeral.”  
“Well I would have liked you up there for me.”  
“You have Thea. And Laurel.”  
“Ah you stand corrected,” he pointed a wobbly finger. “I told Laurel today that I could never be with her. Or she told me. I don’t really remember who told whom…” he hiccupped again, “…but we’re not together.”  
“Oh. I’m sorry Oliver.” Felicity genuinely was. If Oliver had somebody who could make him happy, she would have been glad for him.  
Oliver took a step closer to Felicity. “Are you? Sorry, I mean.”  
Felicity’s eyes narrowed towards him. “Of course I am.”  
Oliver took another step, almost pressing Felicity into her front door. “Is there a part of you that maybe isn’t sorry?”  
Felicity could smell the liquor off his breath. He was inches from her face. Oliver moved a hand up Felicity’s shoulder and neck, up to her face. “There isn’t a part of you that would prefer me not to be with Laurel?”  
Oliver leaned in close and with his free hand pulled Felicity by the waist closer to him. He waited for a few seconds for an answer and when none was forthcoming, he pressed his lips to her ear. “You wouldn’t maybe prefer if I was with somebody else?”  
Felicity closed her eyes briefly, trying to compose herself. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered. She took a deep breath in but when she opened her eyes, she saw Oliver move towards her again. He caught her lips in his. His kiss was hurried and almost sloppy in his drunken state, but not at all unpleasant. Felicity couldn’t think too straight right now. She allowed Oliver’s lips to move over hers and allowed him to part her lips with his tongue. He pushed his full weight against her now, pinning her to the door. She felt his hand moving its way from her waist to her hips and kneading the flesh in her upper thigh. Her heart rate accelerated and she enjoyed the feel of his hands on her body. As if an alarm went off in her head, Felicity snapped out of it.  
“Stop Oliver.” Oliver’s mouth moved to her neck and the exposed skin of her upper chest. “Please Oliver stop.” Felicity gave him a gentle push and he bounced away from her like she had given him an electric shock.   
She stood panting against the door, Oliver leaning against her couch. His head hung shamefully. When he spoke, he sounded so defeated. “I thought maybe you wanted this. I wanted to be with you tonight.”   
Felicity couldn’t help but feel sorry for his childlike demeanor right now. “If you want to be with me, I’m afraid you’ll have to tell me when you’re sober. Otherwise I don’t think I can believe you.” Felicity paused. She might want this but only if he did. She wouldn’t be a drunken regret. “C’mon. I’m getting some coffee for you.” She took him by the hand and led him into her small kitchen.  
“I think I might be sick.” Completely unfazed, Felicity took a basin from beneath her sink and popped it on his knee. “Why are you so nice to me Felicity?” Felicity noticed for the first time that night how red and blotchy his eyes were, as if he may have been crying.  
“I’m nice to you because you’re courageous and you want to help other people, even when it puts your own life at risk.”  
“Thank you.”  
“Now try sipping this coffee and if you need to be sick, aim for the basin.”  
Felicity tucked Oliver under a blanket on her couch that night. She placed a soft kiss on top of his head, his sleeping form unrecognizable as The Hood. The next morning when she woke, he was gone. He left a note just saying: “Sorry. And thank you.”


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
Oliver stood in front of Felicity’s apartment door. Oliver was not a man prone to nerves. In fact he had nerves of steel. He could face down the barrel of an assault rifle and not flinch. However he felt slightly tense standing outside of her door. He had thought long and hard about what he wanted to say but suddenly he couldn’t remember his pre-prepared speech. He tried to not fidget by holding the bottle of wine with both hands.   
He realized it was nearly 11pm so he knocked gently on her door. He heard the beeps of her security alarm, the one that he had installed when she started working with himself and Diggle, and the crunch of several bolts in the door.  
When the door opened Felicity stood there in what Oliver assumed was her pyjamas. “Sorry I was ready for bed when you texted earlier. I figured you wouldn’t mind if I didn’t change back into clothes.”  
“No, not at all,” Oliver said entering the apartment. Felicity wore a pair of checkered cotton shorts and a tank top. ‘Get a grip Oliver. Stop looking at her legs,’ Oliver chided himself. He couldn’t help but appreciate how good she looked. She was relaxed, her hair was down, she had no makeup on and while he tried to not focus too much, had a great pair of legs. ‘You’re a grown man Oliver. Stop thinking like that. She’s your friend.’  
Felicity broke through his musings when she extended her arms to accept the bottle of wine. “Oh my God. This costs more than a months wages for me! I meant get a bottle for ten dollars or something. Wow.” Oliver was glad to see a genuine smile on her face. He thinks it was the first actually happy smile he had seen from her in a long time.  
“Glad you like it.” Oliver laughed slightly but shuffled a little as he realized they were both standing at her front door. The same spot that he had made a fool of himself the last time he was here.  
“You want to join me in a glass?” Thankfully Felicity was moving towards the kitchen now.   
“Well I’m driving but I suppose I could have half a glass.” He watched as Felicity busied herself getting glasses. He tried not to admire a partial view of her bare back as she leaned up to get glasses from a high cupboard.  
Felicity returned to the counter where Oliver had sat down. “You don’t need a bucket this time?”  
“No. I’m good thanks.” He was glad that Felicity was trying to make light of the last time he was here.  
Felicity poured two glasses for them and then was silent while she appreciated the aroma of the wine. She took a small sip and let out a very appreciative moan and closed her eyes. “This is orgasmic.” She opened her eyes and with a very embarrassed look added: “Sorry that was probably not the best descriptive word I could have chosen.”  
Oliver smiled back at her increasing red cheeks. “No that is a perfectly acceptable descriptive term for wine. I bet all the best sommeliers use that one.”  
Felicity looked downwards and looked lost in her glass for second until she spoke quietly. “Sorry about earlier.”  
Oliver was taken aback. “Sorry. What for? There is no way in hell you have to apologize to me for anything.”  
“I know. It’s just I got a little uncomfortable during training and in case you didn’t notice I’m actually still quite mad at you.” Felicity tried to put on her ‘mad’ face but it was just too adorable. Oliver didn’t think laughing at her mad face would help the situation so he let her continue. “It’s just the night of Tommy’s funeral… I’m not sure how much you actually remember.”  
“Enough!” It was Oliver’s turn to feel embarrassed.  
“Well when we sat in these same chairs that night… I mean when you had sobered up a tiny bit, I thought I had got through to you. We talked for ages. You told me all about you and Tommy growing up. You told me about seeing his face everywhere you went. Before you fell asleep you told me you wanted to help fix this city.” Felicity paused, twirling the glass in her hands, looking deep into the red pool of fluid. “And then the next morning, you were gone. For five months. All I got was a few emails and a nice big lump sum of cash. You were just gone.”  
Oliver knew he didn’t have an adequate way to apologize for his absence. “I failed this City.”  
Felicity actually laughed at him using this phrase, one he had used against so many criminals. “Sorry that did sound corny after all.” Oliver smiled, his real smile, not his playboy smile.  
“Oliver if you failed Starling city, then so did I. And I’m damned sure the next thing out of your mouth will be to reassure me that I did all I could. Right?”  
Oliver paused for a moment. When he spoke, he was so quiet, his eyes downcast. “I failed you too.”  
Felicity’s eyes shot up to his. “What? You saved me Oliver.”  
“I put you in that danger to start with. I let those…” anger seethed beneath his words, “…those men get away.”  
Felicity was on her feet in an instant standing before him. “Oliver Queen. Don’t you ever blame yourself for the evil of others. She brought her right hand up to ghost across his cheek. “I will kick your ass if you ever think like that again.” She looked so resolute, standing there in front of him in her pyjamas, her eyes filled with determination.  
“It’s just…”  
Felicity cut his words short with her thumb on his lip. “It’s just nothing. Don’t ever think that’s why I’m mad at you. The truth is. Well as much as I don’t want to overinflate Oliver Queen’s ego, I did miss you.”  
He had missed her too. He missed when he came back from a mission, all fired up and after letting him burn off some adrenaline sparring with Diggle, she would bring him some tea. Occasionally she would throw in some of her special cookies, the ones Diggle adored so much. Sometimes she would wordlessly leave a book for him on top of his training bag. One that would have some special meaning between them. He missed the few nights where he came in and found her watching DVDs on her computers while waiting for some program to run. He’s pull up a seat next to her and ask way too many questions, because he knew it got her all riled up and she looked so adorable when she was fired up. They would sit in the dark of the lair and talk, not always about the film she was watching, without having to even look at each other. She knew it was easier for him to talk without being looked straight in the eye. One night she fell asleep and he carried her to the couch in the lair. She shifted slightly in his arms in a way that she was curled into him. She smelled so beautiful and felt so nice in his arms, that when he put her down, his arms felt bereft without her.  
“I missed you too Felicity.” The air shifted slightly between them. Felicity became suddenly conscious that her hand was still stroking his face and she dropped it quickly. She wrung her hands coyly and spun around rubbing the back of her neck, the way she did when she was nervous. She sat back in her chair and smiled slightly into her wine.  
They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes sipping their wine. Felicity didn’t think Oliver could ever share some of the feelings that she had for him. And he was hurting and tired right now so tonight wasn’t the time to find that out.  
Oliver missed the feel of her palm on his face. He winced slightly again at his behavior the last night he was here and realized that he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable so he stood up. “I should let you get to sleep. I know you have work in the morning. You’ll have to tell me all about your new job. Maybe tomorrow? Burgers after work?”  
“Sounds good.” Felicity did look tired, the one glass of wine accentuating that fatigue further. She walked him to the door and when she had the door open he put a hand on her upper arm and before she could take note of what he was doing, he planted a very gentle kiss on her cheek.   
“Night Felicity.” She watched him walk down the corridor towards the elevator, his scent lingering with her. She sighed but knew that things would be alright again.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity goes out in the field.

Chapter 9  
It wasn’t easy but after a few weeks Oliver, Diggle and Felicity began to fall back into a routine again. Felicity would come to Verdant after work, she would train with the guys, then they would go out on patrol. Since their mission now didn’t so much revolve around crossing names off the list, they sought to patch up some of the damage done to the city since the earthquake.   
Felicity mostly resumed her role behind the computers and on the comm to the boys. She missed being Diggle’s back up on the streets but Oliver had pleaded with her. He told her that her safety was important to him and after a little bit of back and forth between the three of them, it was agreed that Felicity would join the boys on patrol only if she absolutely necessary. If truth be told, she was more comfortable with her computers. She missed the thrill but she saw the genuine concern in Oliver’s eyes when he asked her to pull back. She didn’t have any feminist urge to show she could do everything the two boys did because she knew her computer-based work was just as important. And she had proven herself as a useful partner in the field on many occasions during the previous months.  
Diggle didn’t seem to hold any grudge against Oliver for leaving the city. He understood what grief could do to you. Oliver resumed a bigger role in Queen consolidated, despite not really having much wish to. Felicity thought it was good to see him and Walter working together.   
Oliver would drop by her office to bring her lunch on a regular basis. She got many an envious look from others in the office, but she was long past caring if they thought she was sleeping with the boss. When Oliver had asked her about whether she minded him calling to her office she did tell him about the whispers she heard when she passed by the coffee dock. Oliver told her that she was the most exceptionally gifted IT specialist he had ever met and if they couldn’t appreciate her for that, they could go screw themselves. She had to laugh into her take out Chinese at his attitude.   
Felicity had to admit that she did enjoy trying to get back to that comfortable place with Oliver where she was before he left. In fact they had talked a lot more and become more comfortable in each other’s company.  
One Friday, almost a month after Oliver returned, Diggle asked to meet the pair for breakfast in Big Belly Burger. Oliver was first to arrive. He waved a greeting to Carly and took their usual booth. Felicity arrived next and Oliver noted she was wearing her hair back in a ponytail again, in a pretty pink skirt and white blouse and a brighter shade of lipstick than he had seen her wearing recently. She looked like the Felicity he had first met over a year ago.  
As if Felicity had noticed him staring at her she explained. “It’s dress down Friday. I have no meetings so decided the fancy new dresses and hair that I’ve been having to wear for my new job can take a day off.” Oliver smiled to himself as she looked more relaxed than he had seen her in a long time.  
“Hey guys. John will be her in a few minutes. What will I get you?” Carly was already pouring coffee for the pair. She knew them well enough to know that they would definitely have some coffee.  
“Hey Carly. Can I have oatmeal with blueberries please?”  
“No problem. Let me guess Oliver? Chocolate chip pancakes?” Carly loved to guess what he would order. It generally wasn’t what he had been thinking of ordering but he usually took whatever she recommended.  
“Sounds good Carly. How’s things with you?”  
“Great now. Can’t complain. I’ll be back in a few.”  
When Diggle arrived five minutes later, Felicity and Oliver had just got their orders. Carly called Diggle over to her by the counter. “Hey John. Don’t you think a certain two people would make a nice couple?”  
Diggle was initially confused until he saw Carly staring dreamily towards the booth where his friends were. “Hell no. That would be a terrible idea.”  
“Why? They’re so cute together.”  
“I don’t care how cute they are Carly. Their lives are complicated enough, without adding any more complexities right now.”  
“But look John she’s literally feeding him. That’s sweet.” Diggle looked over in time to see Felicity offering Oliver a bite of her oatmeal and Oliver leaning over the table to accept some from her spoon.   
“Ah hell! Enough of that.” As much as Diggle agreed that Felicity could be great influence on Oliver, this was not an ideal world and he thought this could mess up their little trio.  
“Ah John!” He heard Carly say to his back as he headed towards the booth to interrupt their private chat. They were laughing about something. He was glad to see them both comfortable in each other’s company again.  
“Hey guys,”Diggle said chirpily, squeezing in next to Felicity. “So I wanted to discuss tonight? Peter Jupitus, this petty thug making waves in the Glades, has been hitting supermarkets and the like at closing hours and stealing the takings for the last few months. He had got a bit rough and a security guard was shot and injured last week. Felicity, you said you think you might know where he might hit tonight?”  
“Yeah he’s running out of places to hit but I think he might go for the Shop and Go near Verdant tonight because they’re having a special event today and it’s bound to boost the takings.”  
“Now there are two major exits he could hit. He doesn’t tend to take the front door. Now because Oliver and I will be split up, I was thinking we should take Felicity with us tonight.” Diggle looked to Oliver to see what his reaction to his suggestion would be. “Felicity would of course stay in the car, be armed and be there in case we need back-up.”  
Oliver’s jaw tightened but when he looked between Diggle and Felicity, he saw that there was no fear in her eyes. She was more than happy to join them and who was he to take that decision away from her.  
“Ok so.” Oliver said slowly, allowing Diggle to know he wasn’t delighted with the decision. “But please stay in the car Felicity and in communication with us at all times.”  
“Yep. I can do that. Look at us- first time the three of us in the field in what? Six months?” Felicity actually looked giddy with excitement.

At 11pm that night, Felicity sat in the car beside the Shop and go, listening to Diggle and Oliver communicate from the roof tops.   
“Nothing yet Dig. You?”  
“Nada. I’d say we give it ten and head?”  
“Wait a minute guys. Is there a third exit back here?” Oliver and Diggle heard Felicity say over the earpiece. “It’s a basement exit I think.”  
“Shit. Felicity hold tight, I’ll be round in two minutes.”  
Felicity saw an armed man crawling up from a cellar door, a gear bag of presumably money, slung over his back. This guy had shot a security guard- a young father of two- and she wasn’t going to let him get away. She double-checked her gun was loaded and crept quietly out of the car. She stayed in a position where he couldn’t see her and when his back was turned, she aimed her weapon towards him. “Don’t turn around. I have a gun on you. Put down your weapon and raise your hands.”  
Jupitus side looked at Felicity, half hidden in the dark of the alley, with a slimey grin. “Well look at Barbie protecting the Glades. I’d put your weapon down if I were you sweetheart.”  
“I wouldn’t call me sweetheart if I was you.” Felicity took one step closer to let him know she was serious. “I won’t tell you again. Put down your weapon.”  
Just then a car swerved around the corner. “Looks like my ride is here.” The car side-swiped Felicity, knocking her to the ground. She fired two shots at Jupitus’s legs and took him down. He let out a fierce cry as he fell. His getaway driver leaped from the car and aimed his weapon at her. Felicity rolled behind the car.  
Oliver heard the gunshots and his heart froze. His body went to automated mode and he sprinted towards the shots. Oliver and Diggle arrived just in time to see the getaway driver race around the car towards Felicity. Without hesitation, Oliver took aim and fired straight towards him, immediately disabling him.   
Oliver and Diggle raced towards Felicity where she lay on her back lying laughing. “Now that was fun boys. Woo!” Oliver gave her his gloved hand to help her up and she momentarily let her head drop to his shoulder, such was her belly laugh. Oliver could do nothing but shake his head and smile at her while Diggle put cable ties around the two men’s hands awaiting the police.   
Oliver kept his head down and his hood up while retreating from the scene before he was seen and before the police arrived. He looked back to see Diggle holding the door open for Felicity. She was still laughing. He admired what he suspected was her ‘street outfit’, a pair of tight black jeans and a leather jacket. Wow she really had changed. Though he knew his old Felicity was still in there. She was just a slightly newer version of herself. Felicity 2.0.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of Olicity now

Hidden: Chapter 10  
Felicity returned to Verdant after their take down of Jupitus, the criminal performing armed robberies in the Glades. Oliver was in his Hood outfit so returned solo on his bike.  
When he got back to the base he found Felicity tidying up a table against the wall. She had changed out of her jeans, which he assumed got dirty in her fall in the alley. She was wearing a simple blue cotton dress. It was slightly wrinkled and he guessed she had it stored away some place in case a clean change was needed. She still had her contacts in. He had to admit to himself that he thought her glasses were adorable but loved her without them too so he could admire how her eyes lit up when she spoke. She stood with her back to him but shot him a quick smile over her shoulder when he entered. “Hey Oliver. Diggle had to run. He promised Carly he’d pick her up from a girls night out if he was done on time.”  
“How are you doing? I mean after what went down.”  
“I’m fine,” Felicity said honestly. “Though how do you guys deal with the excess adrenaline after these kinds of missions? I feel like I’m way too hyper to just go home and sleep after that.”  
“Well usually I hit something. That helps,” he added somewhat sardonically. Felicity grinned to herself but didn’t think that would help her energy levels right now.  
Oliver, still in his Hood outfit, put down his arrows and bow, took off his gloves and walked towards where Felicity stood. He hadn’t noticed that what she was tidying away was medical supplies. “Are you hurt?” He spun Felicity around to face him with new sense of urgency.  
“I got a few scratches. Nothing major,” Felicity told him, tidying away some antiseptic. Oliver noticed a scratch mark running down her neck. It wasn’t deep and she had obviously just cleaned it up. “It won’t even scar. You know I don’t think scars are that endearing on a girl. Not like scars on a man. I mean I’m not talking about you. You’re obviously a man but I mean I wasn’t looking at your scars. Well I was, but only when I was looking at your chest. And I was only looking at that because you don’t wear a shirt very often. And I’m going to stop babbling any second now.” Felicity’s voice trailed off and she noticed that the whole time she was rambling, his hand hadn’t left her neck where he gently stroked just beneath her wound.  
Oliver’s hand moved slowly up to brush along her jaw line. Felicity bit down lightly on her bottom lip as she noticed that Oliver was looking tenderly into her eyes. “You really are still all full of adrenaline. Your heart rate is going a mile a minute.” Oliver had his little finger over her pulse point in her neck while he moved his thumb lightly on her cheek. Felicity turned her face into his palm ever so slightly.  
“Yeah I bet it is,” Felicity said quietly.  
Oliver looked briefly between Felicity’s lips and her eyes and whispered her name almost so she couldn’t hear: “Felicity?” A silence passed between them, only the background whirl of fans from the computers to be heard. Oliver’s hand stopped moving over her delicate skin and a breath caught in Felicity’s throat as it moved into her hair. Here his hand stayed as if waiting for approval and when she parted her lips slightly, Oliver moved his head down to her level. Felicity leaned herself closer to Oliver. She felt his breath close to her and his darkened eyes shut as he pressed a kiss to her lips.   
Felicity closed her eyes too. The kiss at first was tentative but when neither party objected, it became more exploring, Oliver’s lips moving over hers. His right hand never left the back of her head, fingers entwined in the gentle blonde curls. Felicity put her two hands on the leather of his jacket and gently tugged him to her, her permission for him to deepen the kiss. Oliver grasped Felicity around the waist with his left arm, pulling her flush with him and their kiss became almost ferocious with yearning.   
Felicity’s hands moved towards the zip of his jacket and pulled it down slowly. When it was unzipped, Oliver adjusted himself enough to allow Felicity push the jacket off his shoulders. Oliver felt like he couldn’t get his body close enough to hers. Against his body’s protesting, he briefly broke their kiss and swiped down the medical table behind them. He looked back at Felicity who had a dark hunger in her eyes and a grin more devious than he had ever seen on her.  
With one swift movement, he lifted Felicity’s small form onto the narrow table, her upper back just touching off the wall behind. They slowed the pace of the kiss slightly, taking time to explore each other’s mouths more delicately. Oliver felt Felicity moan softly and it sent a shiver down his spine. With one hand pulling her close, his other hand hitched her leg around his hip. She could feel his heat pressed against her.  
Oliver took a momentary reprieve from her lips and looked her in the eyes. She was more beautiful that he had even seen, slightly messy and very aroused. “Are you sure you want to do this?” He hated himself for asking but didn’t want any regrets.  
“Yes. Damn sure,” Felicity laughed, a sexy laugh that he wanted to hear more.  
With that Oliver launched his lips to her neck and her shoulder, pushing her light dress down off her shoulder, exposing perfect skin that tasted divine. Felicity held Oliver tight to her by running her hands through the short hairs on the back of his neck, her nails absent mindedly digging into the flesh when he hit a particularly tender spot. She ran her right hand down his back and slipped under his T-shirt and onto his low back to feel the tight knots of flesh there. She took the opportunity to do something she had fantasized about doing for a long time and ran her hand over the curve of his ass. “They really are tight pants?” she joked.  
Oliver took the briefest of breaks from exploring her skin to add: “Well they’re feeling a hell of a lot tighter right now.” He returned to his exploration as a giggle erupted from Felicity’s chest and gave him a very pleasurable view of her, beads of perspiration sitting in her cleavage, arching towards him.  
Oliver’s right hand moved up her leg, the soft flesh so perfect feeling in his hardened hand. He moved it up her thigh until it was under the cotton of her dress and just touched the delicate lace of her underwear.  
The beep from the security door stirred the pair from their passionate embrace. Oliver jumped apart from Felicity and sprung for his jacket, taking a seat in Felicity’s favorite chair and put his jacket over his lap. Felicity slunk down from the table, pulling her dress down to a more modest position while trying to keep the strap up on her shoulder.  
Down the metal stairs walked Diggle. “Sorry guys. Forgot my phone charger.” He said, looking down at his presumably dead phone. He looked up and suddenly detected something wasn’t right with the scene. “Everything ok here?”  
“Yep. Perfect. All good. Just doing bit of tidying,” Felicity said bending to pick up the discarded medical supplies that had been thrown to the floor. “Sure I can do this tomorrow. I’m just going to…” Oliver saw her nervous neck rub again, “…going to the toilet. Right yeah that’s where I’m going.” She was still talking as she walked away, having not looked Diggle in the eye.  
When Felicity was gone from view Diggle slapped Oliver up the side of the head, the same way an older brother would do to a little brother for getting in trouble. “What the hell was that?”  
“What was what?” Oliver feigned confusion, rubbing the slap mark on his head. “You know it’s a long time since anyone smacked me?  
“Don’t play stupid Oliver. What happened?”  
“Nothing. Why do you think something has to be up?” Oliver’s pretense was wearing thin on Diggle.  
“Well when I left Felicity fifteen minutes ago, she wasn’t wearing green makeup on her face and shoulder?”  
Oliver knew he didn’t have any response to explain, the side table looking like a crime scene of their passion.  
“You can’t really think you could make a go of it with Felicity?”  
“Why not Diggle? Why am I not allowed be happy?” Oliver stayed seated where he was.  
“You are Oliver. But there is such a thing as timing. And history. You do remember Helena, McKenna, Laurel? Do you want to add Felicity to that list of disasters? We need her Oliver. And she’s our friend. You can’t put her through that. Oliver Queen has a long enough list of enemies, never mind the list after the Hood. It’s not fair to her.”  
Oliver sat staring at his shoes, well aware that Diggle was right. Sometimes he wished he could be selfish and just do what he wanted but he didn’t want to hurt Felicity. In his current position as vigilante, that wasn’t something he could put her through if he was honest. “You’re right,” Oliver said, so quiet that Diggle felt genuine pity for him.  
“Now make it right man. You have to put things back to the way they were. Not tonight though. I don’t really trust you to control yourself right now.” Diggle was just finishing his sentence when Felicity returned, cleaned of the Hood’s camouflage. She looked at Oliver with heavy eyes and then to Diggle. “I’ll walk you to your car Felicity.”   
Felicity nodded and grabbed her bag, stealing a brief look at Oliver. “Night Oliver.”  
“See you tomorrow.” And with that Oliver was left on his own. He lay his head back in the chair and closed his eyes, his heart-rate still at a fast pace. He cared for Felicity. He didn’t want to hurt her. He decided he would talk to her tomorrow.   
He tried to fall asleep that night not thinking of what he would say to her the next day but instead remembering how good she felt against him and how sweet her lips were. Sleep was evasive that night.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after the night before!

Hidden Chapter 11  
On Saturday morning, Diggle’s words still rang in Oliver’s ears. “Make it right.”   
Diggle was off for the day so he worked up the nerve to text Felicity. He wanted to meet her in as neutral a venue as possible. “Would you be able to meet me at the canal for a walk, near the Carousel? We need to talk.”  
Felicity hadn’t slept much last night either. She thought about the way Oliver kissed her, with such fire and passion. She remembered the way his body felt pressed against her. She then started to think about the flip side of last night. She didn’t think Oliver had ever shown that kind of interest in her, except for the night of Tommy’s funeral, and she always excused that as due to drink. She knew he was probably aware of the feelings she had for him but if he did, he never showed it.   
When Felicity received Oliver’s text, her heart sang. “We need to talk” only ever meant one thing. She tried to bite back the feeling in the back of her throat and the tears that were threatening to form in her eyes. ‘Stop that Felicity. You are not going to cry. Listen, last night would have been a nice little fling, but don’t fool yourself into thinking it would have been anything more,’ she chastised herself.  
It was a beautiful day out and under different circumstances, a walk in the sun by the canal with Oliver would be an ideal way to spend the day. After she texted him back to meet her in an hour, she showered and changed into a light sundress. She popped her prescription sunglasses on, hoping they would hide some of her internal turmoil, and brushed her long curls out over her shoulders. She popped a little bit of lip gloss on, more muted than her usual bright colors. ‘Well there’s no reason not to look nice, even if you are just about to be given the push.’  
When Felicity arrived, Oliver was already waiting. He wore jeans and a grey T-shirt, casual but handsome as ever. He too was wearing sun-glasses. She wondered was this for the same reason she wore hers or just because of the fine weather. He was lost in thought when she approached.  
“Hi Oliver,” Felicity said, with an attempted smile. She may as well try to keep her spirits up, on the off chance that maybe this was a date and not a let-down.  
“Hiya. You…” Oliver wasn’t sure if his next words were going to be ‘You look nice’ but thought better of finishing his sentence and changed to “You want to walk?”  
“Sure.” They walked a few hundred yards in silence, until they were away from the crowds of families and couples enjoying the sun.   
When it was quieter, bar the few runners with earphones, Oliver stopped and leaned against the canal wall. “So we should talk about last night.”  
“Ok. You want to go first?” She thought it safer to let Oliver say what he came to say and not prolong it forever.  
“We were all worked up on adrenaline last night…” This was starting the way Felicity feared. “…and I don’t think we were thinking quite right. It was really nice…”  
‘Great. Every girl likes to be called NICE.’  
“…but well me and dating don’t really go well. Not at present anyway. I have a lot with QC, the club, my night time activities and family problems that I think that it would be wrong to ask you to be part of that.”  
Felicity didn’t interject but felt it almost cowardly to tell her it was wrong to put her through this, rather than actually ask her.  
“I care a lot about you Felicity.” Her eyes briefly darted up to his. She hoped the glasses masked it. “But it’s just…” he was going to add too dangerous but Felicity stopped him there.  
“You don’t have to explain anything more Oliver.”  
“No, but I do.”  
“Please Oliver don’t.” She didn’t want to sound pitiful, pleading with him to give her a chance. If he’d made up his mind, she didn’t want to make it more difficult. Who was she kidding, thinking that he would share her feelings!? “We can forget about last night and go back to the way things were. I won’t make it awkward. Don’t worry.”  
“But Felicity, I wanted…”   
Felicity felt the smallest bit of anger- this wasn’t all about what he wanted. She put a gentle hand on his chest and smiled half-heartedly. “Really Oliver. We should leave it at that.”  
Oliver allowed her the decision to end the conversation there. He saw her spin around, her delicate dress flowing in the air, and thought she said something along the lines of “See you Monday” and she walked away.  
He couldn’t see but beneath her glasses tears were forming and she wanted to get away from him without him knowing he had upset her. She looked so beautiful as she walked away from him.   
He tried to think of when his feelings evolved into something more than friendship with Felicity. He always found her adorable. He remembered the way he watched her last Christmas, deep in thought on her tablet, when he came to visit her with a black arrow. He remembered how he tried not to betray his lust for her in that red cocktail dress she wore to the casino. Then he remembered how he missed her when he was away for all those months and thought that this was maybe when his feelings changed from pure platonic. He would freely admit he would always love Laurel, but he never thought of her now the way he thought of Felicity- so perfect, beautiful, selfless, funny.  
Oliver felt a tug in his heart as he saw Felicity disappear out of sight and hoped he did the right thing by her.

To Oliver’s surprise, things did go back to normal. After a few days of avoiding each other’s direct eye contact, Felicity seemed back to herself. She went back to her normal ramblings and when he went a whole week without calling to her for lunch, she sent him a text asking where her Chinese take-out was. That was the thing about Felicity. He knew that she was trying her hardest to put things back to the way they were. He should have been the one putting the effort into making things right but she made it so easy. Felicity would be in the lair working away on her computers and she’d still smile at the pair when they came back from a mission with her genuine smile. She’d still try to make Oliver laugh when he was in his cranky mood. They avoided being on their own too much but Diggle did his best to keep them all going. If truth be told, Diggle would like nothing better than to see the pair together, but he could never admit this because his reservations about their relationship still existed. So over the next month, things seemed to go back to the way they were meant to be.


	12. Chapter 12

Hidden Chapter 12  
Felicity tried her best to act like things were back to normal. She had to admit that her relationship was still very strong with Oliver. They were close and talked more now than ever, but without any physical element. They both made extra sure that they wouldn’t end up in a position where they could falter too easily.  
Winter was coming in now and Felicity was glad to be wrapped up in a blanket in her computer chair in their lair while she heard the boys complain about the cold over the comm while out on a mission.  
“Ooh. I’m nice and toasty here boys. Sending you warm thoughts.” Felicity was rubbing it in now.  
“I’m freezing my ass off out here. And no sign of this scum bag,” Diggle replied.  
“I’d say we call it a night Diggle. See you soon Felicity.”  
Felicity had gotten into the habit of waiting until the two men returned from their missions. She found she worried about them too much until she could see in the flesh that they were ok. She was really tired that night and decided while she waiting for them, she’d put her head on the couch for a few minutes. She must not have realized how tired she was because she was out in seconds.  
When Diggle and Oliver returned, they found her all wrapped up in her blanket, glasses discarded, asleep on the couch.  
Diggle had got wet in a shower of rain so he headed off to take a hot shower and change. “You can get sleeping beauty up and get her home.” Oliver just nodded his agreement, still looking at Felicity sleeping.   
He walked over to where she lay and pulled back the blanket to see if she would stir. She didn’t budge so he put his hand on her upper arm to give her a gentle shake awake. He didn’t expect though that she was still deep in a dream. She started to screech and flail, her eyes still shut, but her distress palpable. Oliver tried to hold her down to the couch so she wouldn’t hurt herself but she continued to thrash wildly in terror.   
Oliver got down to his knees and pulled her terrified sleeping form into his lap and tried to sooth her. He rocked her and held her tight and when she calmed down enough, he placed soft kisses into her hair and said her name quietly.   
Felicity stilled and then Oliver noticed a change in her breathing. He leaned back and noticed her eyelashes fluttering open. He pulled back enough to look at her, not releasing his grip on her body. He continued to rock slightly.  
“You were having a nightmare Felicity. Sorry I didn’t want you to hurt yourself.”  
Felicity looked embarrassed at first but another emotion took her over instead. It was pain. She turned her head into his chest and he heard her sniffs, knowing that she must be crying. Her body began to shake slightly as he heard her sob. Oliver held her tight and buried his face in her hair, his heart hurting for her.  
Oliver had to strain to hear her muffled words, said into his chest. “I can still feel their arms holding me tight. So tight I had bruises. I can see the leader looking at him, his eyes are there in my nightmares all the time now.” Oliver knew she was talking about the night of the earthquake and realized now why gripping her arm like he did provoked such a reaction. “I’ve looked through every police database and nothing. Every time I’m driving in the Glades I’m looking for their faces. But they’re still out there- living their lives. Maybe they’ve hurt someone else. I changed this basement as much as I could so it wouldn’t remind me of that night.”  
Oliver felt his stomach in his throat. Firstly out of empathy with Felicity, but secondly because he was useless at finding these three. He hadn’t even seen them properly before the ceiling started to fall. Felicity lay is his lap for what seemed an eternity, until they heard the sound of the shower being turned off.   
Felicity didn’t look at Oliver but got up and wiped her face. Oliver was just about to say something to her, anything to try to comfort her, when Diggle reappeared. He was oblivious to her screams earlier, probably from the sound of the shower and the club combined.  
Felicity didn’t want Diggle to see her face so she kept her head down and muttered a ‘Goodnight’ before leaving.  
“Everything ok man?”  
Oliver’s hand clenched open and closed by his sides, frustration at not being able to put an end to those three men. “Just Felicity was having a nightmare.”  
“She ok?” Diggle starting tidying up his bits to leave. “You know she’s been a lot happier since you returned. I think it makes her feel safe, knowing you’re around. She was so…sad I suppose when you were away. Knowing now what happened to her explains a lot though.”  
“What do you mean, Dig?”  
“Well, just as an example, one night when you were gone, we tracked down this major scum who was trafficking women for prostitution. He was a real piece of work. We had him cornered and all ready for the cops to take him. I could even hear their sirens. Felicity pulled out her gun and put 6 shots in him- one in each hand, each knee cap and two in the groin for good measure. She walked away like nothing had happened.”  
Oliver sat silently, aghast at the level of violence she had displayed.   
“Does that sound like the sweet Felicity you found in the IT department last year?” Dig scratched his head. “Well anyway, some of the sweet girl has returned since you returned. I still stand by my opinion though that you and her dating would be dangerous thing for her. But I can’t help feel that she needs you too.”  
“It’s really hard Dig.” Oliver was not a man known to express his emotions. “I’ve tried to bury my feelings for her. It’s killing me. Sometimes I walk in and see how adorable she is sitting there and all I want to do is pick her up and take her away from all this. Do you think maybe it’s possible some day to leave all this behind and live a normal life? When my Mum and Thea and you are sorted, just leave it all behind and hope Felicity will still accept me then.”  
Diggle could not ever remember Oliver talking like this to him before. It hurt him to see it. “I hope that you can Oliver. You do deserve it.”


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13  
With a week to Christmas, the decorations at Queen Consolidated were all lit up. It took some of the gloom away the company that had permeated the building since Moira Queen’s arrest.   
Felicity had taken time off for Hanukkah and went to celebrate with her Grandmother in Coast City. She had almost two weeks away from Starling City. Two weeks away from Oliver. Felicity chastised herself for still feeling the way she did. She had to praise what an excellent job she was doing hiding her feelings and maintaining normalcy.   
After the night Oliver had awoken her from her nightmare, she couldn’t deny that that feel of him holding her tight didn’t make her feel warmer and safer. She had to admit how much she still wanted those arms around her.  
In the few weeks she was away she had time to clear her head. She had decided that she needed to move on in her personal life. She had been holding back ever since Oliver Queen first walked into her office. But he had made his intentions clear that things wouldn’t work, so she felt she needed a bit of happiness, outside of crime-fighting.   
At the Queen Consolidated Christmas party, a not too bad looking man from finance called Tom had asked her out. He suggested he take her to dinner the next night, the Saturday before Christmas. At first she thought he was a bit too keen, but then figured why not? She knew Oliver and Diggle had nothing Hood-related planned for the next night. Oliver was trying his best to maintain a good relationship with Thea and John was bringing Carly ice-skating.  
Before her date though, she needed to pop into the lair quickly to set a program running. She went in hoping the two men had finished their training for the day. Her hopes were dashed though when she heard the sounds of the two men sparring.   
“Look at you all dressed up,” Diggle whistled out from the training mat. Oliver was momentarily distracted by her entrance and Diggle managed to take him down to the mat. “You going somewhere nice?”  
“Uh. Well I’m going for dinner.” Felicity tried to not look Oliver in the eye. She really wanted to avoid telling them where she was going.  
“Is this a date Felicity?” Diggle immediately regretted pressurizing her into an answer as a tension flitted between Oliver and Felicity.  
“Yeah. A guy in work asked me out last night at the Christmas party.”  
Oliver looked at the black dress she was wearing. It hugged her figure perfectly, without being at all trashy. Her hair was a little more curly than usual and he longed to run his fingers through her tresses. He had to pointedly stop himself from looking too long at her luscious lips.  
“Where’s he taking you?” Oliver interjected.  
“Bellinis. It’s supposed to be nice.”  
“What do you know about this man?” Oliver tried not to sound like a jealous ex, but it wasn’t really working all that well.  
“Well his facebook, twitter, bank account and police records tell him me he’s a perfectly normal man.” Felicity was angry that Oliver should care who she dated, since he didn’t want to date her himself.  
“Well maybe I should send you a driver to get you home. It’s dangerous around the city at night.”  
“I appreciate that but I’m going to just valet check my car. Anything else Dad, before I go?”  
Diggle had to turn away so they couldn’t see him face, somewhere between a grin and a grimace.  
“No. Enjoy.” Oliver turned his back to her and started a new assault on a training pole.  
When she left, Diggle spoke up. “Smooth, man. Really? A driver?”  
“You know this is all your fault.” And with no more explanation for his statement, Oliver stomped to the showers.

Oliver and Thea enjoyed a nice dinner together that day. Moira’s trial date had been set for the coming February. They agreed to visit her on the 23rd, the prison’s Christmas celebration day. They discussed what they would do themselves for the holidays. It would be hard to pretend like this wasn’t another terrible year in the Queen chronology. Oliver agreed that Thea should spend Christmas Eve with Roy and that the three of them would have a very quiet dinner in the mansion on Christmas day.   
Oliver returned to the club after dinner, mainly to show his face. The clientele still expected him to do the occasional rounds. He went downstairs to find Felicity sat looking over updates in her computer.   
“Wow. A date finished by 10pm!” He didn’t mean for his statement to come off mean or sarcastic. “I mean, was everything alright?” Suddenly he was worried in case she was upset.  
Thankfully Felicity spun around in her chair and gave him steady smile. “Worst date ever.”  
Oliver was glad that she didn’t seem upset. He pulled up a chair near her. “What happened? I mean, if you want to talk about it.”  
“Well to start he was boring. But I don’t really mind boring too much. My life has enough excitement so I could give boring a go.” Oliver took that statement to be somewhat pointed at him. “Then before our food even arrived, he asked me did I subscribe to the third date rule?”  
Oliver opened his mouth in a face of pure surprise. “No way?”  
“Yeah. He said if I was a prude, he didn’t want to be really wasting time messing around.”  
“What did you do?”  
“Well I told him life isn’t like a TV show, had about three bites of my dinner, feigned a migraine and left my half of the bill on the table.” Felicity had taken her shoes off and sat with her feet underneath her. “So how was your night?”  
“Good now. Had a good catch up with Thea. She has really taken on the responsibility of the club even more than I could have expected.”  
“That’s great.” Felicity made a move to stand up.   
“You must be hungry? I mean if you didn’t really eat your dinner.”  
“Well I lost my appetite talking to Tom but I could go for an ice-cream?”  
“I know exactly where we can get great ice-cream. C’mon. I’ll drive. Leave your car here.”  
Felicity wasn’t sure how to accept Oliver’s invitation. She knew it was just a friendly invite, someone to bitch to about her bad date. But she still felt warmer inside. “Give me two minutes to get cleaned up and then I’d be delighted to go.” 

When Oliver pulled up at the most expensive Italian restaurant in the City, Felicity’s mouth gaped a fraction. “Uh, Oliver. This isn’t an ice-cream shop. I would have settled for a convenience store really.”  
“This has the best ice-cream in town. And some great red wine. I know you like red wine,” Oliver teased. Felicity’s face broke into a huge smile. Oliver loved that smile. “I rang when you were in the restroom and the manager is going to keep a selection of the best deserts for you to choose from.”  
Oliver and Felicity sat in a corner table of the now almost deserted restaurant. At this time of night, she assumed Oliver had rang ahead to ask them to stay open. For a handsome tip she assumed.   
“Oh my god. This latte ice-cream is to die for. Try some.” Before she thought too much about it, she had thrust the spoon towards Oliver who gratefully took it off her spoon. They were at such ease that evening. Felicity had polished off half a bottle of very expensive wine since Oliver was the driver. When Felicity could eat no more sugar, Oliver called for the bill.  
“I had a nice night. Thank you Felicity.”  
“No thank you.” They both sat in a contented silence until the waiter came.  
“I’ll get you home. It’s after 1am. At my age, I turn into a pumpkin soon,” Oliver joked. Felicity knew well that Oliver was only usually getting going at this hour.  
Felicity and Oliver drove home debating the music on the radio. “I just don’t get any of this music Felicity.”  
“You own a night-club. Surely you have to be a little up to date with this stuff.”  
“I don’t really have much input into that kind of thing. Bear in mind, I didn’t hear a pop song for five years.” Oliver rarely brought up the island. She would love to know more but would never intrude on his past, unless he wanted to talk about it.  
When they reached Felicity’s building, Oliver insisted on being the gentleman. He parked his car and walked Felicity to her door. Before they entered the building, he noticed Felicity shivering against the December wind. He put his arm around her and gave a quick squeeze. She slightly cuddled into him to protect herself from the wind as she opened up the building’s front door.  
When they reached her apartment door, Oliver did not quite know how to leave it. He really didn’t want to leave her at all right now. They fit so perfectly, had fun and could talk or sit in silence, depending on what the circumstance involved. Oliver shifted nervously as she opened her door.   
“Ok so, I’ll let you to bed.” Oliver shifted between his two feet but didn’t move from the door.  
“Night Oliver. Thank you.” Felicity leaned up to plant a kiss on Oliver’s cheek. While she moved back, she didn’t move too far from his face as she saw the way he was looking at her. His eyes had a renewed sense of passion. Their faces were inches from each other. Several breaths passed between them. Felicity’s heart rate accelerated. Oliver leaned in slightly, their eye contact never breaking, as if they were each seeing who would pull away. But neither of them wanted to pull away.  
Oliver’s lips crashed onto Felicity’s. Their mouths battled for control but moved in perfect synchrony. Felicity’s arms moved up around Oliver’s neck. Oliver snaked his around her perfect waist and pulled her close. The pair was almost breathless and Felicity’s knees felt weak. Oliver lost all rational thought, not caring about anything but the feel of Felicity against him right now.  
Felicity walked back a few steps allowing Oliver to move into her apartment, never breaking contact. Felicity used a foot to push the door closed behind them.

To be continued…


	14. Chapter 14

Hidden Chapter 14  
Felicity pulled Oliver into her apartment, her hands never leaving the back of his neck. She knocked the apartment door closed with her foot and leaned up to Oliver to deepen their kiss further. Felicity felt a warmness throughout her, a powerful passion for this man.  
Oliver’s harms encircled Felicity’s waist. He felt like he couldn’t pull her close enough to satisfy his need. The logical reasoning for them staying apart was lost in their craving for each other. He found it difficult to remember a time when something felt so right.  
Oliver let Felicity take the lead, not wanting to outstep her comfort zone. Felicity pushed his jacket from his shoulders. His arms felt empty for the few moments that it took to discard his jacket without her in them. Felicity took the seconds they were parted to shed herself of her own coat, her mouth never leaving his.   
Oliver raised his hands to cup her face and run his thumbs along her cheekbones, angling himself so that he could fervently explore her mouth. Felicity used the opportunity of their change in position to run her hands under the hem of Oliver’s T-shirt. The feel of his skin was as good as she remembered from their interrupted night in the basement a while previously. She mused to herself that the last time it was the Hood that she was making out with, now it was Oliver.  
Oliver hummed into Felicity’s mouth, her touch setting him on fire. Without words they seemed to know what each other wanted. Felicity tugged up Oliver’s shirt and as much as he didn’t want to break their embrace, he stepped back enough to allow her pull his shirt over his head.  
Felicity put her two hands on Oliver’s chest, caressing it gently, a perfect smile on her face. She bit lightly on her lower lip and Oliver took her cue. He pulled her and spun her slightly so that her back was against the wall. He moved his mouth to her neck and heard a throaty moan escape her lips. He moved towards her shoulder, the feel of her rubbing small circles on the back of his neck, turning him on further.   
Felicity could feel his arousal pressed up against her. She took a second to relish in the fact that Oliver obviously feels the same way about her that she feels about him. She moved her hands down to suggestively play with his belt buckle. He took a step back to admire the stunning woman, standing panting in front of his, her head lolling against the wall. He thought he couldn’t be more aroused until he saw her slowly slip her dress off her shoulders and let it pool at her feet. Underneath she wore black underwear with a little simple detail in the material.  
She stood before him, her chest rising and falling. “Get rid of the pants Mr. Queen.” Oliver liked this assertive side of Felicity and happily obliged. When they had shed themselves of their remaining clothes, the pair had ferocious sex against the wall of Felicity’s hallway. It was fast and erotic, fulfilling their pent up desires for each other.   
When Oliver made Felicity scream his name, her body spasming wildly, he carried her to her bedroom and laid next to her on her bed. He placed gentle kisses on her nose, along her collar bone, along her stomach and up her legs. Oliver took his time exploring every part of her, watching her squirm when he hit a particularly ticklish part.  
They lay next to each other sharing gentle kisses until their spent bodies were awakened again. This time Oliver made slow, gentle love to Felicity. He took his time to learn what she liked, happy to watch her all night. He used his mouth and his hands to his advantage and Felicity came again, Oliver crying her name out soon after.   
When their bodies could take no more, they lay curled up together, utterly satisfied. Oliver had slept with his fair share of women but they all paled in comparison to this experience. Felicity’s legs wrapped around Oliver’s body, fitting perfectly. He held her against his chest, curling her hair around his finger. They fell asleep together, satiated and exhausted.  
Oliver woke several hours later. His usual initial thoughts each morning were that he still was on the Island and that when he opened his eyes, his return had just been a dream. When he woke that morning, he was so contented with the feel of Felicity’s soft body next to him that he thought of nothing but her. She shifted slightly and he pulled her in closer, afraid that if he let go, that maybe she would disappear. Her golden locks flowed over her shoulders, smelling so beautiful that he was reminded his Grandmother’s prize winning rose garden. He closed his eyes again, drifting off again.  
Felicity woke soon after. She found that they had moved in their sleep and that they now lay on their sides, Oliver’s arms around her waist, his face buried in her hair. She could feel his light breaths on the back of her neck. Her muscles ached, in a pleasurable way. She thought about the night she’d spend with the man she had desired ever since he had walked into her life. As much as it pained her to leave, she needed to use the bathroom to take out her contact lenses. She pulled out of the sleeping man’s arms and off the edge of the bed, planting a kiss on his forehead before she left. She looked around the ground for some clothes but in the early morning light and having slept in her contacts, she was finding it hard.  
A voice from the bed almost startled her. “If you’re looking for clothes, I think we left a trail of destruction in your hallway.” Felicity spun around, suddenly very aware of her naked form. “I don’t think you really have anything to be shy about. I’ve pretty much seen you from every angle imaginable now.”  
A flush came to Felicity’s cheeks. All that escaped her mouth was “Um…”  
“And besides, you’re stunning. I could watch you stand there all day.” Felicity knew this wasn’t a line as he looked at her with some genuine affection in that moment.   
“Thank you. Give me five and I’ll be back.” Felicity padded to the bathroom, her modesty forgotten.  
When she came back, she hopped up onto the bed. Oliver pulled her in close to him. They lay with their foreheads pressed together, soaking up the morning sunshine coming through the blinds, legs intertwined. A peace and calm surrounded them. They didn’t need to say anything right now. They could work out the details later, but for now, they knew that this felt right.


	15. Chapter 15

Hidden Chapter 15

Oliver had always wondered what way other people spent their Sundays. He assumed the Queen family were not like typical families, where he was dragged to formal engagements as a child or made to sit quiet in a corner at a semi-business brunch. He always imagined that he would like Sundays to be lazing around in his pyjamas. Even going to church. Something ‘normal’! This was the first Sunday that Oliver could recall, that he truly felt rested. He had slept so well last night after his first night with Felicity. He was physically spent after their session but also he felt so at ease.   
It was well past lunchtime and they still lay in bed. Felicity had retrieved some of their clothes from the hall. She threw his boxers to him and with a deliciously wicked smile told him the T-shirt was temporarily hers. They relaxed against the pillows as if there was nothing else in the world. Oliver was delighted that he had told Diggle to do Christmassy activities with AJ and Carly for the day.  
Lolling on the bed Oliver and Felicity talked. Really talked. Not about anything in particular but just caught up with each. Oliver told her more about his five months away. Felicity talked about her few weeks in Coast City with her Grandmother.  
As much as Oliver didn’t want to break the easy mood, he knew that Felicity was aware that he had seen the small scar on her chest and slightly larger round hole in her back. It was usually hidden under her bra so nobody asked questions.  
“Felicity?” he asked. She looked up at him from her pillow, Oliver rested on one elbow above her. “If you want to tell me why you have a bullet hole in your chest, you can pick any of my scars and I’ll tell you about it.”  
“I was wondering if you’d bring that up.” Felicity diverted her eyes downward, as if recalling a difficult memory.  
“You don’t have to tell me. I won’t pressure you. But I didn’t want to ignore it either.”  
“You asked me about my parents before and I snapped at you, telling you that I was orphaned and to mind your own business.”  
“Well I think you might have even thrown a swear word in there too!” Oliver smiled sweetly.  
“Well yes. It was obvious it was a sore subject. I don’t know why I snapped at you that day. I did want to tell you about them. But… I don’t know. It’s so long in the past that I don’t like dragging it up.”  
Oliver stroked her cheek lightly and then looked down at his chest. “Pick one. You can decide after if you want to tell me about yours.”  
Felicity ran her finger delicately over the ridged skin of Oliver’s scars. “You sure?”  
Oliver nodded.  
“This one.” She pointed to the scar left from Yao Fei’s arrow.  
“Ah. My first one. Good choice.” Oliver told her over the next hour about how he realized he wasn’t alone on the Island. He told her about Yao Fei, Slade and Shado and told her up until Yao Fei was killed. Felicity listened patiently during the whole story, not interrupting him. His eyes would darken at particularly difficult parts of the story, especially parts that Oliver didn’t show him in a particularly favorable light. Felicity didn’t let these parts color her view of Oliver. She knew his pre-Island persona was a different person to now. Occasionally Felicity would stroke his arm and squeeze his hand to let him know he should continue.   
When he was done, she placed a gentle kiss on his lips. She didn’t ask him questions or pester him to go on, she just said: “I’m so sorry you had to go through all that. You can talk to me any time you need to about it. Or not again if you’d prefer. I’m here for you either way.”   
Oliver pulled her into a hug against his chest, knowing how genuine her words were. He hadn’t pulled away when she spoke. He thought possibly it was easier if he wasn’t looking her in the eyes. “My Dad was a security van driver. A gang broke into our house one night and held my Mother and I while my Dad delivered a van to them. I was twelve. My Dad did as they asked. When he returned home he suddenly confronted one of the men. I could hear my Dad shouting that he didn’t like the way one of his men was looking at me. He wrestled the man for the gun and it went off, killing my Dad instantly. They couldn’t take the chance there would be witnesses so they shot my Mum and I too. I survived after five weeks in an induced coma. I don’t remember much about that night. Maybe that was because of the coma. I know they might have killed us even if my Dad didn’t blow up on them. But when I woke, I felt a sense of pride that my Dad loved me so much, that he put his life at risk to defend me. I never was angry at him. I figured they probably would have killed us anyway, since they didn’t wear masks. And this is why I have a bullet wound in my chest- cut clear through my aorta, cutting off circulation to my brain. They said it was a miracle I didn’t have brain damage.”   
Felicity had spoke quickly, almost in one long breath. Oliver let her speech flow and when she was done pulled her in closer. “Did they catch them?”  
“Yeah they’re doing life sentences. But that doesn’t bring Mum and Dad back.” He felt slight wetness against his chest and knew she was crying but he just held her and placed kisses into her hair. He knew that if she wanted to tell him more, she would.  
After a while, he noticed her breathing change and realized she had fallen asleep. Sometimes letting out something so emotional can be draining. He repositioned her on her pillow and went to shower. He looked back and his heart ached that this beautiful woman had to go through so much.  
Oliver took his time showering. He was enjoying that all the scents in her shower were so uniquely Felicity. He closed his eyes and relished in the heat of the shower.   
When he returned she was shifting slightly. Oliver kneeled down next to the bed so he was at eye level. “Hey sleeping beauty. I make some mean pancakes. You hungry?”  
The sleep had obviously brightened Felicity’s mood again as she beamed at him. He loved this ability of hers to stay positive. “I’m starving. Suppose you want your shirt back?”  
While Felicity was in the shower, Oliver went to work in her kitchen. Thankfully she had enough ingredients that he could improvise pancakes. He could smell her magnificent fragrance from his T-shirt as he stood there cooking, bring back memories from last night.  
When Felicity joined him in the kitchen, she was dressed in a beautiful green cotton dress. It looked like it was put on for it’s comfort, but Oliver couldn’t help but think she was the most stunning sight he had even seen, her luscious legs distracting him slightly. “Don’t burn them,” Felicity said with a smile.   
Oliver pulled them from the ring and flipped them onto plates at her counter. Felicity sidled up to him, her hair still wet and wound her arms around her neck. “Multitalented you are, Mr. Queen.”  
Oliver pulled her into a passionate kiss. His arms tugging her hips closer to him. Their lips played out a delicate game and Oliver had to restrain himself from throwing her on the counter and having his way with her right there and then. “Only for the fact I think we need some nourishment, I would add your kitchen to the list of rooms in your apartment where I’ve made love to you.”  
“Well there’s always time after pancakes?” Felicity added suggestively.  
As the sun went down that evening, Oliver couldn’t imagine a more perfect Sunday. Felicity lay against his chest on her couch, hands entwined with his, watching a movie. They ended the day in her bed again, each time they made love a new and more gratifying experience than the last. Oliver had no trouble sleeping again that night.


	16. Chapter 16

Hidden Chapter 16  
Since Oliver returned from the Island, he was a light sleeper, to say the least. His experience on the island had made him respond acutely to any noise- anything that might be a threat. This is why it surprised Oliver when he woke on Monday morning. He looked at the alarm clock that told it was 7am on December 23rd. He was alone in Felicity’s bed but could smell coffee and hear the sound of the radio from the direction of her kitchen. He lay his head back on the pillow and thought about everything that had occurred this weekend. From his jealously Saturday that Felicity might date another man to having not left Felicity’s side for the rest of the weekend. He knew a change of clothes were in order and Felicity had to go to work but if it wasn’t for these two obstacles, he would happily have remained in her bed for the rest of the week.  
Oliver dressed and stole some of Felicity’s mouthwash again (he really would love a toothbrush but five years without one made him innovative) and sauntered to the kitchen, a lightness to his step that he hadn’t felt in ages. Whatever this was between Felicity and himself made him feel unburdened and he wanted to explore it further.   
In the kitchen, Felicity was trying to shove more things into her already over packed bag. She often had changes of clothes and books and all sorts in there for the long nights spend at the Foundry. Oliver stood in the door-frame admiring her, a determined look on her face- the kind she got overcoming a difficult firewall. “I don’t think it can take anymore. What have you got in there?” He walked over, pulled the bag from her and pulled her towards him. “Morning beautiful,” he said placing a kiss to her lips.   
Felicity stroked along Oliver’s stubble, a few days more growth than usual. “Good morning,’ she returned his kiss, moving her hands behind his neck. Oliver kissed her with affection, tinged with passion. A slight moan escaped Felicity’s lips. “Don’t get me all excited. I’ve to go to work.” Felicity changed her position to give Oliver a hug. He held her tightly, knowing that he would miss her today. “You and Thea going to visit your mother today?” Felicity looked up at him again, seeing in his eyes if he was ok.  
“Yeah. I’m not sure what to expect from the prison Christmas event. I suspect it’ll be the same as every other day in prison but with a few streamers.” Oliver knew his Mother needed to face up to her crimes, but it still upset him that the woman who raised him would be suffering in jail. He would always love her after all.  
“Well you ring me if need anything? Please.” She placed a warm chaste kiss to his lips and then broke apart from him. She walked over to the sink and started cleaning up the few breakfast dishes.   
Oliver came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She continued to wash up as he placed kisses down the back of her neck, slightly sucking on her delicate skin in places. Felicity pretended to ignore his presence, secretly delighting in his touch. “You know you’re such a kind person. I think you deserve a reward.” Felicity didn’t understand, until she felt his hand move down her body and under the hem of her dress. “You know Oliver we’re all out of condoms and I’m late for work.” She didn’t let him know that she was loving his feel, his rough hands rubbing through her underwear.  
“Oh this won’t take five minutes and I’ll make sure to rectify the condom situation later.” Oliver moved into her underwear and while Felicity braced her hands against the edge of the sink her head rolled back in ecstasy as he brought her over the edge. Pure pleasure ran through Felicity, her chest heaving slightly and her legs weakened.  
“Why Mr. Queen, you have quite skilled hands?” She turned to give her a hug and ran her hands through his hair. “Well that certainly woke me up!”  
“I love to feel you squirm in my arms.”  
“I don’t squirm. I writhe. That sounds sexier.” Felicity was picking up her bag now and looking for her car keys.  
“I’ll drop you to get your car at the club,” Oliver offered. Felicity had forgotten that she had come here in Oliver’s car on Saturday.

In the car on the way to the Glades, Felicity asked: “So who is going to tell Diggle?”  
“Dibs not me.” Oliver smiled sidelong at her.  
“Dibs? We’re not kids. You can’t dibs.” She poked him in the ribs playfully.  
“Yeah he’ll kill me. He’ll not do anything to you. You’re like his little sister.”  
“Why would he kill you?”  
“After he caught us getting…well should I say amorous a few months ago in the lair, he warned me I shouldn’t start something with you because it would be dangerous for you.”  
“I’ll kill him.” Felicity’s voice went up an octave. “I’m a grown woman and can decide for myself.”  
Oliver laughed slightly at her tone. “I did agree with him at the time. It was so difficult meeting you that day by the canal. I didn’t want you to think I didn’t care.”  
Felicity felt a slight knot in her stomach remembering how she felt that day. She had felt rejected. But now she knew how Oliver felt, that day didn’t matter. “Maybe we should leave a while before telling him. That way we can say ‘Look we’re making a go of this. Be happy for us.’”  
“Yeah I think you’re right. I’m kind of afraid he’ll turn my arrows on me if he thinks I’m doing wrong by you.”   
Felicity reached a hand across to hold Oliver’s. “Anyway I know we’ll have to keep this secret from most people anyway?”  
“Why?” Oliver asked, genuinely confused.   
“Well small thinks like Detective Lance knowing I help the vigilante. It might be too close of an association if he thought we were going out. He might put two and two together.”  
“You work for Queen Consolidated. He knows that much already.”  
“I know. But maybe we need to be discrete. A secret can be sexy too.” Felicity lightly rubbed her hand up and down his thigh now.  
“Ok so. But I want you to know that I would be the proudest man alive to show you off on my arm.”  
Felicity’s heart warmed at this sentiment. “Thank you. And we will. But not now. Let us figure out between ourselves what this is and then we can shout it from the roof tops.”  
“Deal.” Oliver placed his hand over Felicity smaller fingers on his thigh. After a moments thought, Oliver added: “Do you want to come over to mine tomorrow night?”  
“But that’s Christmas eve. Do you want to spend it with your sister?”  
“Roy and Thea are going a party and we’re just going to leave the club to the new assistant manager for the night. So will you join me? I know you don’t celebrate Christmas but I’m sure we can find a few corny festive movies, drink mulled wine, pull the legs of gingerbread men.”  
“You sure you want me to come to the Mansion?”  
“I couldn’t think of a way I’d prefer to spend tomorrow night. Please?”  
“I’d love to. Thanks.”  
He left her off at her car but not before one last deep kiss. He watched as she got into her car and drove away, still trying to figure in his head what this was between them. But he was more than happy to take his time and figure it out. All he knew was that he was happy and he cared so much about this woman and wanted to know her more.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Festive Chapter

Hidden Chapter 17  
When Felicity finished work on Monday, she headed straight to the Foundry. Oliver and Diggle didn’t have a mission at present but they were going to get a few hours patrolling before Diggle took a couple of days off to spend with Carly and AJ over Christmas. When she arrived the two men were training. They looked like they were using some Judo moves in their training but also using long wooden blunted spears to spar. They didn’t hear her enter over the clank of wood in the training area. She sat down at her computers and began to run a few programs.  
When Oliver and Diggle noticed her, they put down their weapons and took a breather. Felicity was slightly nervous, not really knowing how she should react with Oliver in front of Diggle. Or how he would act with her. The two men gulped down water from their bottles.  
Felicity cleared her throat. “Hey guys. How’s it going?”  
“Good now,” Diggle said. “I finally finished my Christmas shopping. How are you?”  
“Great. Yeah. Good. Pretty good.” Ok she should stop saying a meaningless sequence of words. She adjusted her glasses slightly nervously.  
Oliver walked over to refill his bottle and when Diggle thought he was out of ear-shot, he asked “How was the date?”  
“The date?” For a brief moment she had forgotten about that. “Oh the date was a write-off. Total loser.” Felicity knew that Oliver’s hearing was better than Diggle was giving him credit for and that he was listening.  
“Sorry Felicity.” Diggle wiped the sweat from his brow.  
“Don’t be John. Honestly. I had a lovely weekend despite that.” Felicity thought over her weekend with a small smile escaping her.  
“That’s good. You working tomorrow?”  
“Yeah the department is open tomorrow but myself and Bob, who is an atheist, will let the rest of them go home on a half day.”   
“That’s nice of you two. You any plans for the few days off?”  
“Emm. Few bits and pieces,” she added coyly looking towards Oliver as he walked towards the pair. “How did you get on with you Mum today?”  
“It was fine. She’s doing ok,” Oliver added a bit flatly. For a moment Felicity thought that he was going to be a bit cold with her until she saw him giving her a little wink and a smile when Diggle wasn’t looking. She figured he would talk to her more about it later.  
“What’s the plan for tonight then?” Felicity asked.  
“Well I’ll do a bit of roaming of the rooftops and alleys and Diggle will stay in the car in case I need him,” Oliver responded. “Hopefully people are behaving themselves over the holidays.” Felicity felt a swell of pride that Diggle and Oliver were taking on more of a crime-fighting role. She remembered the time she confronted Oliver early on after joining them. She accused him of just protecting people’s bank accounts. She knew that wasn’t true but she’d like to believe that it was her influence that helped them shift their role in Starling’s city crime-prevention a little.  
“Well be careful. And wrap up. It’s freezing out there.” Felicity had to look after her two men, even if it did sound like she was nagging them sometimes.  
“We will Mom,” joked Diggle.  
“You go ahead in the car Diggle and I’ll radio you when I get out there. I’ve just to check something on the computer with Felicity here.”  
“Uh, Ok. Talk later. Bye Felicity.” Diggle picked up his gear bag and waved goodbye to the pair.  
When he was gone, Oliver spun Felicity’s chair around. He planted a soft kiss on her lips. “Just wanted to say goodbye properly.” Oliver stroked her cheek lightly.  
“I think we might need to come up with a more solid excuse that needing to check something on the computer with me.”  
“Hey it’s better than the time I told Laurel you were installing my internet or something.” Felicity thought for a second that the name of his ex caused a change in his eyes but maybe she was imagining it. “I saw her today you know?”  
“Laurel?” Felicity tried not to sound affected by his admission.  
“Yeah I was bringing flowers to Tommy’s grave after I visited my Mum and she was there too.” Oliver leaned against her desk.  
“Did you guys talk much?”  
“Not really. She’s doing well enough. Working hard. She’s decided she’s also going to help find the vigilante. I can add her to the list of everyone trying to figure out who I am.”   
“Why?”   
“Doesn’t matter really. I have to take the chance with everyone so she’s no different. We agreed to meet for coffee some time and shared an extremely awkward Happy Christmas hug but that was about it.” Felicity wondered if Oliver felt he had to tell her about meeting his ex, in case she would mind if she found out.  
“I’m glad she’s doing well enough. You ok after visiting the grave?”  
Oliver bent down in front of her chair. “I’m ok.” When Felicity raised her eyebrows slightly, he added: “Really. I am. Thank you though.”  
“You better go or Diggle will wonder.”  
“Yeah suppose I better. You look tired. You go home early.”  
“But..”  
“I know you worry but I promise to text you when we get in. Let you know we’re safe. Ok?”  
“Ok.” Felicity was quite tired. She’s had quite an active weekend after all and work was draining today.  
“So will you let me know what time you’ll be over tomorrow night and I’ll make you a bit of dinner?”  
Felicity smiled at the thought of Oliver cooking. “Sounds good.” She leaned forward and gave him a parting kiss, not wanting to keep him too long.

Tuesday in work Felicity was in great mood. She had slept great last night, the scent of Oliver still on her pillow. None of her department seemed to be doing any real work today but she didn’t care. They were all looking forward to spending Christmas with their families. The office was lit up with Christmas lights and it seemed every five minutes somebody was offering her a chocolate. She shooed out everyone at lunch and her and Bob finished up the few last bits before heading a little early themselves.  
Felicity texted Oliver and arrived at the mansion at 6pm. She had never been to the mansion before and was very nervous. She was fascinated to see where Oliver lived but also terrified of running into Thea and trying to explain herself. After getting past three security points (they had increased since Moira’s arrest), a security man took her keys and parked her car. She stood timidly outside the door, looking for a bell to ring. Before she could find it, Oliver answered the door.  
“Hey there.” He leant over to place a kiss on her cheek.  
“How did you know I was here?”  
“The security guards ring ahead. To make sure I was expecting you.”  
“I don’t even have a door man in my place. I did in my last place but he mainly slept and occasionally made sleazy comments when I came home late at night. But definitely nothing this fancy.” Felicity followed Oliver into the hallway. Her mouth gaped at the sheer size of it- bigger than her apartment. She spun to take in the full expanse of the stairway. There wasn’t much decoration but Oliver had a tastefully decorated tree in one corner.  
Oliver noticed that Felicity had obviously changed after work. She was in jeans, something he didn’t see her in often, and a pretty pink sweater. “Come into the kitchen. I just made pasta. I hope you don’t mind that.”  
“No that’s good.” Felicity was still straining her neck looking around when she felt Oliver’s hand in hers.   
“C’mon. I’ll show you around later.” Oliver looked relaxed in his home environment. He led her into a giant kitchen where he started putting food out onto plates on the kitchen island. “I figured you’d prefer in here to the dining room. We’d nearly have to shout across the table at each other in there.”  
Felicity ate every bite of the pasta, impressed with Oliver’s skills. “Where did you learn to cook?”  
“Well I was a little brat when I was younger and didn’t do much for myself but when I hit puberty Raisa, our housekeeper, told me that women love a man that can cook. Being a horny teen, I took all of her advice. She showed me some simple dishes. She’s was a great person. Still is. She’s semi-retired from us now but I miss her not being around so much.”  
“You a brat? I don’t believe it!” Felicity joked. Felicity loved hearing about Oliver’s relationship with his housekeeper. She imagined he was a bit of a nightmare growing up so loved that he had someone to stabilize him a bit.  
Oliver started to clear the plates away. “Let’s go into the sitting room. I promised you mulled wine and I make a mean mulled wine.”  
“I’ve been looking forward to this all day.” She entered a sitting room, another gigantic room. She figured she should stop being surprised by all this extravagance. A fire was lit and there was cinnamon aromas coming from some candles.   
Oliver motioned for her to take a seat on a red leather couch and handed her a steaming cup of mulled wine.   
“Oh this is good,” Felicity said, taking a long slow sip of her wine. She set it down on the table next to her for a second and waited for Oliver to join her. They weren’t at all awkward but were still finding their feet around each other. Oliver joined her on the couch but before he made himself too comfortable, he faced her and pulled her slightly towards him. His touch still sent shocks through Felicity. Her breath hitched slightly as he pulled her into a kiss. He could taste the spices of the mulled wine from her lips, making her taste even sweeter than usual. Felicity wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening their kiss. She didn’t think she’d ever get tired of the way he held her. She loved the way he ran his hand through her hair and down her back. He pulled her slightly closer to him until they were disturbed by the sound of a doorbell.  
Felicity pulled back slightly. “Are you expecting somebody?”  
Oliver regretfully pulled away from Felicity and stood. “Nobody rang ahead. The only person who would get through security is somebody who worked…”   
“Diggle?” Felicity stood, smoothing her clothes down, as she was just caught by her parents making out with a boy.  
Oliver walked out to the hall and answered the door. There stood Diggle. “Hey man. Sorry to call on Christmas eve but Carly must have asked me a hundred times today to bring these over to you.” He handed Oliver a bag of homemade cookies. “She insisted you have something Christmassy, since she knows this holiday will be tough for you.”  
Oliver gratefully took the bag. He was very fond of Carly. She was a very kind person. “Thanks Dig. Please tell her there was no need. It’s very thoughtful.” Oliver watched with unease as Diggle walked slightly farther into the hall. He knew a few more steps and he would be able to see into the sitting room. He was unsure if Felicity would hide or not until he saw Diggle stop suddenly and realized he had seen her.  
“Felicity? What are you doing here?” Oliver joined Diggle’s side.  
Felicity was running her hands through her hair and he knew it was taking all her energy to not bite her lip and run her hand over the back of her neck- her telltale nervous signs. “Same thing as you John. Just came to wish Oliver a Merry Christmas?”  
“Oh. That’s nice,” he said this more to Oliver than Felicity. Oliver was unsure whether he seemed to be suspicious or not. “Well I have to run. Last minute wrapping to do. You’ve saved me a trip to your apartment too then because here are your cookies. Enjoy.” Diggle looked once more between Felicity and Oliver, his expression unreadable.  
Felicity came out of the sitting room to give Diggle a festive hug. “Tell Carly and AJ I said hi. Merry Christmas.”  
“Thank you,” Diggle added, giving her an extra friendly squeeze with his large arms. There was such a gentle affection between Felicity and Diggle.  
When Diggle had left Felicity let out a long breath like she had been holding it since the door bell rang. “Do you think he believed us?”  
She was surprised to see Oliver had a big smile on his face. “I don’t know but I want to get back to enjoying my night with you. I promised cheesy festive movies and that’s what you’re getting.”  
Felicity and Oliver watched ‘Miracle on 34th street.’ Felicity told Oliver about how her Dad loved watching all these festive movies with her. Although they didn’t celebrate Christmas, her Dad allowed her a small artificial tree in the porch so that she wouldn’t feel left out from her friends. Oliver smiled as he listened to her talk so affectionately of her parents. He would have loved to have met them and told them what a fantastic woman their daughter had grown into.  
Oliver sat holding Felicity’s hand during the movie. Whenever one of them moved to freshen a drink or use the bathroom, he would place a light kiss on her hand before breaking apart. Felicity had to admit that she was shocked that Oliver had this soft side. She supposed he did but he was a multilayered enigma sometimes.  
As the movie wound up, they found themselves curled on the couch, Felicity pulled on top of Oliver, her head on his shoulder. When the credits rolled he cupped Felicity’s cheek to bring it up towards him. He kissed her tender, his other hand roaming her lower back and playing with the soft skin under her sweater. Felicity shifted on top of him so that she could allow their mouths to dance together more comfortably. Their kiss became more fervent, Oliver’s hand now drawing her thigh up so that he was more able to move his hands sensually over her body. Oliver groaned with pleasure when her other thigh rubbed against his groin. She could feel the heat coming from him and teased him further.  
“You want to come upstairs to my room?”  
“Sounds like a plan,” Felicity responded with a cheeky grin and a last peck on his lips.  
Oliver blew out the candles. He held Felicity’s hand in one of his and her oversized bag in the other and led her upstairs. When Felicity first saw his room, she tried to think if it was the way she imagined it from her fantasies. He had the largest bed she had ever seen. “That’s so big we might never find each other in it,” Felicity said pointing to the bed.  
“Oh I’ll make sure and find you in there,” Oliver said taking her in his arms. He could hardly hold back his passion for this woman, her beautiful curves driving him wild with desire. He wanted to feel all of her against him. He ran his hands up her back, under the material of her sweater.   
He groaned and almost pouted when she pulled back but not for long. She pulled the sweater over her head in one swoop, showing off a red bra. She pulled the sandals off her feet and eyed him mischievously, playing with the button on her jeans. “You want to help me with these,” she added cheekily. With that invitation, Oliver wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her slightly from the ground and back towards the bed. He fell on top of her on the bed, placing hot kisses down her neck and chest towards her flat stomach, running his hands up and down her jeans.  
“Yeah these have to go.” Oliver pulled them off while she giggled playfully on the bed. She had matching red panties underneath, arousing him further.  
“Now you.” She sat up on the bed and while he stood unbuttoning his shirt, she started undoing his jeans. When she had loosened them slightly, she stopped to rub him slightly through his shorts. Oliver went weak at her touch. He couldn’t take it any longer as they shed the last of their clothes and made love in his bed. Oliver didn’t think he would ever tire of being in bed with this gorgeous lady.  
When Oliver returned from the bathroom after, he saw Felicity had put his shirt around her and was sitting in the window seat smiling. “It’s snowing.”  
Oliver made his way to the window to see soft flakes of snow starting to fall. Felicity was beaming, watching the flurry. He settled himself behind her and pulled her back into him. He lay there for the longest time looking at the moonlight reflecting off her flawless skin. She was so at ease in his arms.   
After a while he noticed she had drifted off, a gentle smile still on her lips. He carried her to his bed and curled in next to her. Oliver felt like he had the greatest Christmas present he could ask for right here in his arms.


	18. Chapter 18

Hidden Chapter 18  
Oliver was awoken by sunlight streaming in his bedroom window. He could see snow had settled on the trees outside and it looked to be a beautiful start to Christmas morning. He rolled over to see Felicity sprawled at an oblique angle across his bed. She looked serene in the morning sunlight, her hair spread across the pillows. She looked beautiful lying there- no make up and wearing only his shirt (which half opened was giving him a great view) and her arms knotted in his sheets.  
Oliver left her sleep while he showered and threw some jeans on before rolling up behind her sleeping form. Her skin was warm and soft against his. Felicity stirred and rolled to look at him. Her eyelids fluttered open and when she opened her eyes, she gave a sleepy smile. “Morning there handsome. You awake long?”  
“No. Not long. You’ve got to see the snow outside.” Oliver pulled her towards the window while she rubbed sleep from her eyes. He stood behind her, hugging her waist as she looked out at the white landscape outside.  
“It’s so beautiful.”  
“No it’s lovely. You’re beautiful.” Oliver nuzzled into her neck.  
“I don’t look very good first thing in the morning Oliver.”  
“Oh I think you look good enough to eat,” Oliver said his mouth mumbling into her shoulder now.  
Felicity spun around as if just remembering. “Happy Christmas Oliver.” She leaned up to place a small kiss to his lips. “One second I got you something tiny.”  
“You got me something?” Oliver watched her pull items from her stuffed bag- clothes, toothbrush, underwear- wow she did carry everything in that bag. She took a small case from the bottom.  
“I didn’t wrap it because it only came in late yesterday. I was worried it wouldn’t get to me before the close of business yesterday.”  
Oliver gave Felicity one of his genuine smiles. “You shouldn’t have.” He opened the small box and inside was what looked like a coin with a hole in one end- a moon was on one side and a sun the other.  
“I have a friend who works in a museum in London. She told me this story one time about how there was an elite group of archers in ancient Greece that were chosen for the most dangerous missions. Their wives were known to give them these pendants before they went away. It was meant as a way of saying ‘Come back to me safely’. I rang her asking her about it and she said there’s plenty of private vendors selling these and she gave me the name of somebody who provides Greek artifacts to her museum. He couriered it to me. I thought maybe you’d keep it as a way of reminding you to come back safely from your missions.”  
Oliver stood silently looking at it for a minute. “That’s the sweetest present I’ve ever received. Thank you so much.” Oliver pulled her close into him. He promised himself he would carry it as a reminder to come back safely to Felicity. He pulled back slightly, cupping her cheeks. “It’s a good job I got you a little something then.”  
“Oliver you shouldn’t have bought me anything….”  
“I know it’s not something you celebrate but I was shopping in this antique jewelers on Monday for Thea- it’s a place she loves and I saw this and thought of you.”  
Felicity watched Oliver take a wrapped box from his drawer. She sat down on the edge of the bed, excitedly removing the paper. Inside was a gold locket, encrusted with rubies and emeralds. There was a small arrow engraved on the back. “I asked the owner what the significance of the arrow was and he didn’t know. It must have been fate- this little locket waiting for me to find it.” He thought of the way that fate had brought him and Felicity together too.  
Felicity had just popped the locket around her neck when she heard a banging at the door. Felicity jumped, her heart jolting in her chest.   
“You decent in there bro?”  
“Um Thea. One moment.”  
“Where do I go?” Felicity whispered.  
“Do you have someone in there? Because there’s a car parked in the guest space.” Thea shouted through the door.  
“She knows I’m here,” Felicity murmured, standing looking around desperately like she was going to dive for cover.  
Oliver turned to here reassuringly. “Don’t worry about Thea.”  
“Ok Oliver. I want to spread Christmas cheer so you’ve got five more seconds to get yourself clothed. 5…4…3…2…1…”  
Felicity looked around the room one last time before fruitlessly hiding behind Oliver, suddenly realizing she wore nothing but Oliver’s shirt. Thank God it was long on her. Thea burst in the bedroom door, half covering her eyes with a hand. “Thank God you’re dressed…Hello,” Thea said to Felicity’s cowering form, a huge grin on her face.  
Felicity leant a hand around Oliver. “Hi. Umm…I’m Felicity.”  
Thea took her extended hand, giving her brother a wink as she did and then cocked her head slightly to look again at Felicity. “Wait I know you. You visited Walter in the hospital.”  
“Wow you’ve a good memory.”  
“I knew you must have been more than a ‘friend’. So you work at Queen Consolidated?”  
Felicity was acutely aware of her near nakedness, something that didn’t seem to bother Thea.  
“Thea, can we maybe talk about this after we get changed?”  
“Of course.” Thea gave her brother a pat on the arm before turning to leave. Before she left the room, she asked Felicity: “So you’ll stay for dinner. It’s nothing fancy but we have to celebrate somehow.”  
“Well I should let you and your brother celebrate together. I’m Jewish anyway…”  
“No. You’re so staying for dinner. Oliver make her stay.” Thea pretended to whine.  
Oliver turned to face Felicity now. “I’d really love you to stay. Please?”  
“Ok so.” Felicity turned back to Thea. “Thank you.”  
“Ok now you two finish…” she gestured between them, “whatever you were doing before I came in and I’ll see you downstairs.”  
“Oh we were just…” Felicity tried to interject but Thea stuck her fingers in her ears.  
“La la la. I don’t want to know. I’ll see you soon.” Thea shouted, leaving the room.  
“Well that went well,” Oliver turned to Felicity. She cocked her head to one side- the exact same way she had done the day he brought her a bullet-riddled computer. Oliver was glad that Thea had asked Felicity to stay. He had wanted to but didn’t want to put her under pressure.  
Felicity trailed behind Oliver into the kitchen, looking bashful at Thea. “Good morning lovebirds,” Thea joked.   
Felicity saw Roy, looking very uncomfortable in the kitchen- very much like he was being forced to help out. “Roy this is Felicity. Felicity, Roy. Ollie Walter called from England to say hi this morning. He’s enjoying his Christmas with his family back home.”  
“Ah that’s great. I’ll ring him soon,” Oliver said while he saw Felicity and Roy share a most uncomfortable handshake.  
Felicity returned to her position next to Oliver and whispered: “Ollie- that’s cute.”  
“No it’s not,” giving her a playful poke in the ribs.  
Roy handed Felicity and Oliver a glass of egg-nog and when eye level with Oliver mumbled a Happy Christmas.  
“Thank you Roy,” his jaw stiffened slightly, indicated he still didn’t completely trust this man but that so far his sister was being treated well.  
To Oliver’s delight, Thea and Felicity seemed to be getting on well. Thea crouched up next to Felicity on the couch after dinner. “I’m glad you’re here, not only because you seem to be making my brother happy, but also you take the heat off poor Roy. I think he’s terrified of Ollie. But Ollie is a teddy bear really. Nothing to be afraid of.”  
“Yeah he is,” thinking how far the vigilante was from a Teddy bear.  
“So how long are you guys hooking up?” Thea was nothing but direct.  
“Hooking up? We’re not hooking up. Well we are doing that. Well a lot actually. I mean…that’s not what I mean…”  
“Calm down. I’m only teasing. I know my brother and you are a lot more than a hook-up by the doughy look in his eyes.” Thea looked to Oliver standing in the doorway.  
“Hey sis. Can I borrow these?” He appeared to be holding some women’s snow boots and jacket.  
“I don’t think they’ll fit you Ollie but sure.”  
“Haha. Felicity you fancy a walk?”  
It was such a lovely day out. Crisp air and sunlight reflecting on snow. Oliver and Felicity trudged through the snow on the grounds of the mansion. Felicity’s phone went off. “Why is John sending me a pic of his new car?”  
“I got him a car. He deserved it.” Oliver looked shy- Felicity knew he didn’t like to brag.  
“That’s such a generous present Oliver. Ok I know you got me a car…”  
“Well I bled all over yours. And then was worried you would leave when we found Walter so call it incentive.”  
“You were worried I’d leave.”  
“Terrified.”  
“Well I’m not leaving. No matter what happens.” Oliver pulled her close to him, her cold nose rubbing against his.  
“Thank you.”  
“For what?”  
“For being you Felicity. Thank you.”


	19. Chapter 19

Hidden Chapter 19  
The snow cleared from Starling city within days of Christmas. The criminals of the city didn’t take too long a break and Oliver and Diggle were back trying to dampen down the worst of the crime on the streets. Things had gotten so bad in the aftermath of the destruction of the Glades that Oliver rarely had time to cross many names off the list. He hadn’t forgotten that this list was composed of some reprehensible individuals but he could only do so much at once.  
Oliver came back from a mission with Diggle the day before New Years Eve in ferociously bad humor. He had attempted to find a businessman who was involved in drug trafficking. Felicity had managed to identify his phone. She was giving the directions tracked over the comm to the GPS on his phone. After running around Chinatown in the pouring rain in the middle of the night, they found the phone, in the backpack of a teenager. He said he had bought it at a market a few days ago. Oliver yelled down the comm, forcing Felicity to take her ear piece out. It actually comforted her that he wasn’t acting that much different to the old Oliver.  
When the boys returned to the Foundry, dripping in rainwater, Felicity didn’t dare ask them anything. Oliver did his usual silent throwing around of his equipment and Felicity knew better than to interrupt him. She knew he hated being so close to catching somebody to just miss out. Diggle knew his mood wasn’t going to improve so he said his goodnights and with a good luck pat on the shoulder to Felicity, went home.  
Felicity silently tapped at her keyboard and after a long stretch of silence, Felicity started to pack her bag. She turned to where Oliver was cleaning up his arrows.  
“I’ll head away there. I’m pretty tired,” Felicity paused and was about to put a hand out to Oliver when she retracted it. “Sorry about earlier.”  
With her words Oliver spun around, a heaviness in his eyes. “Felicity don’t apologize,” he said bluntly. “Don’t ever take my bad moods as a indication that I blame you. I just get frustrated when these things happen and I shout and bang things. It doesn’t mean it has anything to do with you.” Oliver put hand on Felicity’s arm. “Honestly.”  
“Ok so,” Felicity said with a small smile. “Well I’ll leave you get showered and get home. I’m sure you’re tired. It’s been a tough few days for you two out there in the cold and wet.”  
“Yeah I’ll need warming up alright.” Oliver gave Felicity a gentle kiss and when she turned to leave he added: “Join me.”  
“Excuse me?”  
“The shower would be a whole lot hotter with you in it.” Oliver’s mood morphed slightly from its previous darkened tone to a more lustful one.  
Felicity’s answer came in the response of her dropping her bag and hopping towards the shower area while taking off a shoe off. “C’mon Queen. Don’t keep me waiting.” Oliver followed her to the shower with the realization that this woman could always manage to lift his mood.

The next night was the Queen Consolidated New Year’s Eve party. This was Felicity’s first year as head of a department but so it was her first time attending. Both Oliver and herself would have preferred to be anywhere but here. However Oliver had to be the face of the Queens at these kinds of events so he went out of loyalty.   
Felicity tried to arrive fashionably late so that she wouldn’t have to smooze with all the bosses for too long. Felicity and Oliver had agreed to not talk to each other too much during the party. There were already enough rumors because of their frequent trips to each other’s offices. When she entered the lobby area where the canapés and champagne were being served, she spotted Walter. She felt like flinging her arms around him in a big hug but felt that might have been inappropriate.  
She tried instead waiting until he was finished talking to some big bosses and gave him a friendly wave. “Hello Mr. Steele. How was your trip home?”  
“Wonderful, thank you Felicity. Did you do anything for the holidays?”  
Felicity had to bite her tongue to not say all the wonderful new things she had done over the holidays so instead went with: “Hung out with friends.” They spoke pleasantly for a while and Felicity noticed she had already downed a glass of champagne. She was getting that slightly warm and fuzzy feeling she gets when she drinks. She thought that maybe she should slow down as her babbling often got worse when she drank. She didn’t think leaving innuendos accidentally drop in front of her bosses would be a great idea.   
Oliver spotted Felicity talking to Walter. He knew she was a little uncomfortable in this kind of setting but looked relaxed talking to his former Step-Father. He had kept a good relationship up with Walter after his Mother’s incarceration. Walter was a good man and had even visited his Mother on a few occasions. He knew this couldn’t have been easy for Walter. Felicity looked elegant in a deep green gown. He smiled to himself, knowing that whenever she wore green, it was a secret message between the two of them. Her hair was up with some loose curls hanging onto her neck. He wanted nothing more than to go over and nuzzle her neck.  
After several long hours of pleasantries with work colleagues, Oliver saw that Felicity was finally on her own. Oliver crept up behind her. “Psst. Come for a walk with me,” Oliver playfully whispered, nodding his head towards the elevator. “Meet me on the roof in five.” Oliver straightened his suit jacket and went to say his goodbyes to a few Department heads who were leaving before the midnight bells rang in.  
Oliver had previously told Felicity the security code to get the elevator to the roof. He didn’t let other people know it because it was somewhere he sometimes liked to come to look out at the city and think. When Oliver arrived, he found Felicity, wrapped up against the cool night air with a long coat hugged around her.  
“Fancy meeting you here,” Felicity joked when she saw him.  
Oliver silently walked towards her and wound his arms around her waist, pulling tight so that she was arched up towards him, her stiletto heels assisting in this slightly. He enveloped her mouth in a long slow kiss, his hand moving up to stroke her neck. When he finally broke free he said, “I wanted to do that all night long.”  
Felicity’s thumb traced over his cheekbones and over his lips, Oliver planting a soft kiss on her thumb.  
From the street below they heard a commotion and the beeping of horns and figured it had turned midnight. Felicity leaned to look over the side-rail and Oliver came up behind her, holding her close. Felicity basked in his warmth, allowing her head to fall back against his chest. Her hands were intertwined with his now.  
“You know this has been another exceptionally bad year on the back of several more bad years for me. But having you with me now has also made it the best year in memory. Thank you.” Oliver kissed behind her ear and kept his head nestled into the crook of her neck. “You make me happy. You make me smile and laugh. You’re kind and beautiful. You make me wild with desire and I’m so glad that you allow me to share in your life.”  
Felicity knew these sentiments weren’t easy for Oliver to say. “You have no confidence in yourself.” This was probably the first time anyone had ever said this to Oliver. “You’re a wonderful person who does so much for others. And most of it, they will never know was done by you. I have never been as happy and safe as I am waking in your arms in the morning. Not to mention that you’re something else in bed.” Felicity teased this last part, knowing that it was a juvenile sentiment. “But most of all, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now than with you.”  
Fireworks lit up the night sky and lit up the couple as they held each other tightly on the roof that night. Neither of them knew how tough the year ahead would be.


	20. Chapter 20

Hidden Chapter 20  
Diggle has always considered himself a perceptive person. His career in the military taught him a lot about body language and how to read people. Because of this he was getting a little bit suspicious about the other two thirds of his little team. Oliver had said he had put an end to any fooling around after Diggle interrupted them that one night in the basement lair. He really did feel bad for pressurizing Oliver so forcefully on the issue but Oliver’s list of women prior to that had not ended well. Felicity was important to both of them and even if he had a sense that they would be good together, he didn’t want them to take that risk and end up hurt. But he was starting to pick up on little clues that made him question if they were being honest with him.  
Clue one: When Diggle had bumped into Felicity at the mansion on Christmas Eve, it could have been completely innocent. She could have just popped over to see Oliver. However Diggle knew what had passed between them and didn’t know if they were able to be completely platonic while alone with each other. Felicity had looked rather settled in on Christmas Eve.  
Clue two: On New Year’s Eve Oliver had told him he would have Thea’s driver bring him home. In fact he had not been asking him to drive him any time he was out in the evenings. Thea’s driver was not known for subtlety and he met him in the Queen Mansion parking garage a few days into January. He had said how Oliver had taken a cute blonde home with him. Granted there are plenty of blondes in Sterling city but it still made him suspicious.  
Clue three: This came at his engagement party. Diggle and Carly had become so close and so happy that on New Year’s Eve, he proposed. It was spontaneous and he thought Carly would say it was too soon but to his surprise she said ‘Yes’. He felt so lucky to have such a wonderful lady. They had been afraid AJ might not be delighted with the idea but when they told him he thought pensively for a second and then said, ‘Will I still get a second allowance from Uncle John?’ Kids can be great at adapting.   
Carly and Diggle had thrown an engagement party a week later in Carly’s house. Oliver told him he didn’t need to invite him in case people thought it was a big unusual inviting the man they perceived he chauffeured and minded all day long to his party. Diggle told Oliver he would just pretend that Oliver had invited himself along.   
Felicity and Oliver arrived together. He answered the door to them and they were mid conversation- obviously discussing something quite exciting going by their animated hand gestures. Dig supposed maybe it wasn’t that unusual that Oliver would give her a lift.   
During the party, Felicity had offered to play a game of Battleship with AJ. Oliver sat down next to her on the couch and watched at the intense game playing out. Diggle and Carly were speaking to friends across the room but when he spared a quick glance across the room, he could swear that Oliver was lightly rubbing circles into Felicity’s lower back. One of his friends spoke and he was brought back from his musings.  
After the party Carly questioned whether Oliver and Felicity were seeing each other. Diggle nearly choked on the water he was drinking when he remembered that Carly had always wanted the pair to hook up. Diggle felt sorry that he had interfered in their relationship. He was so blissfully happy with Carly that he felt bad that he hadn’t given Oliver the same opportunity to be happy.  
Clue four came soon after. Oliver had returned from a mission with a cut to his right shoulder. When Oliver walked towards the medical table, Felicity brought the med kit towards him. Oliver lifted off his shirt and she went to work cleaning around the wound, teasing him slightly when he hissed when the antiseptic stunk. What Diggle noticed was that Felicity no longer had that slight blush when working on a topless Oliver. She no longer had that slight hesitance before touching him. In fact she was perfectly comfortable doing it.  
Clue five came after a party at the end of January. It was probably not so much of a clue, as a tease on the couple’s part.  
****************  
Oliver had a name that he was dying to cross of his list. He came in to the basement one evening quite excitable. Jeremy Taggart owned a new sky-scraper downtown. He had his hand in several seedy elements of the criminal underworld and used his architectural company as the legitimate front. As a member of Starling City’s elite, Oliver had been invited to the opening of the building.  
When he arrived, Diggle was working out and Felicity was sitting at her computer terminal, sucking an ice-pop. “Felicity did you bring ice pops for everyone in the group?” Oliver teased.  
“No Sir. I didn’t know what time you’d be here and I didn’t want it to melt. Since the heating has been on in here all Winter, it’s like a sauna. And as much as I like to watch you guys get all sweaty… I mean as much I like the coziness down here, I needed cooling off.”  
“Give me a lick?” Oliver leaned around her chair playfully trying to taste it.  
‘Wow they’re not hiding this too well’, Diggle thought. But that wasn’t the biggest clue he was to get.  
When he had finished tormenting Felicity for some ice pop, he produced two tickets. “I have here entrance to Jeremy Taggart’s new building. I figure you and I go, maybe you might attach a bit of tech to his computer and we’ll slip out. That way we can get more of the dirt on this scumbag.” Oliver held the tickets over Felicity’s shoulder.  
“Sounds like a plan. Pick me up at 8 tomorrow? Formal dress I assume?” Felicity didn’t argue with Oliver’s plan even the slightest bit and seemed delighted to get out in the field.”  
The next night Diggle picked Oliver and then Felicity up for the opening. Felicity looked elegant in a deep purple evening gown. She wore high shoes that accentuated her legs. Not that Diggle was looking at her legs. He tried to maintain brother-like feelings towards her at all times. But it was hard not to notice. Diggle and Oliver discussed the plan on the short ride from Felicity’s apartment to the Sky-scraper. They would not need to use earpieces and mics tonight. Oliver said he would text or hit the panic button if he needed Dig but didn’t foresee there being any trouble.  
When Oliver and Felicity were inside, Oliver took Felicity’s arm. He was loving the opportunity to be out in public with Felicity, not having her hidden away. Only Thea and Roy knew about their relationship and Thea and Felicity were getting on great. But Oliver had asked Thea to be discrete because Felicity worked at the company.   
Oliver spoke to a few socialites who eyed Felicity with interest but didn’t question her too much. She figured it was polite in high society to not badger the billionaire’s date.   
Felicity knew that Oliver didn’t like to dance but she was surprised when he agreed to one dance. It was slow and he loved the feel of the silky fabric of her dress beneath his fingers. He held her close but when he felt it was an appropriate time, he suggested that go try to find an office to install her spyware.  
Felicity said it didn’t matter what computer they used as long as it was connected to the internal server so they attached it to a computer in a large office on the floor above the party.  
When they were exiting the room Felicity giggled slightly. “Too much champagne Felicity?”  
“No I was just thinking about something.”  
“What? You have to tell me if it’s that funny.” Oliver saw Felicity’s cheeks flush slightly.  
“It’s embarrassing.”  
Oliver came up closer beside her and whispered, “You have nothing to be embarrassed about with me.”  
Felicity put her hands on Oliver’s chest and said in a low voice. “Well before we were seeing each other, I had a bit of a fantasy that we’d be undercover like this and have to break into a bad guy’s computer. But we’d be caught by his henchmen so you’d kiss me to throw them off. You’d be pretty convincing too so that they’d buy it.”  
“Oh really?” Oliver ran his hand up and down her waist. “I like the sound of that fantasy.” He walked away from her suddenly and opened up a few doors on the corridor.  
“What are you doing?”  
“Come here,” Oliver gestured for her to join him in the doorway of an office. It was small with just a desk, not yet fitted out with much equipment. “Now tell me how this scenario went again.” Oliver raised his eyebrows suggestively to her.  
Felicity came into the office and towards the desk. When Oliver had turned around from locking the door he saw Felicity slowly lowering the zip on her dress. “Well I think you’ll have to make it very convincing. Just in case we’re caught.” He loved this naughtier side of Felicity.  
Oliver crossed the room in two strides and captured Felicity’s lips in his. Their lips battled passionately. Felicity allowed her dress to slip to the floor and Oliver noticed with great excitement that all she had under it was G-string. He moved his mouth to her neck and down her breasts and sucked at a tender spot on her thigh while playing with the material of her underwear. Felicity clamped her arms onto the desk and arched her back in exhilaration. She bit her lip to stop from crying out when he moved beneath her panties. He brought her close and then pulled his mouth away and back up her body. Felicity desperately tried to free him of some of his clothes. He had barely shed his pants when she had pulled him towards her and angled herself so that he could take her hard against the desk. Through a blur of moans and pants, Felicity had to bury her head in his chest to stop from screaming his names in pleasure. When they were both thoroughly spend and satisfied, Oliver half lay against Felicity on the desk. He still had her leg hitched up on his waist. He lowered her slightly and kissed her tenderly.   
“Does that live up to your fantasy?” Oliver placed soft kisses along her jaw.  
“I think that exceeded my fantasy. Next time you can tell me yours,” Felicity added, still caught for breath.

They tidied themselves up as much as possible but didn’t think they were too presentable to return to the party so they texted Diggle and headed to the car. They were hoping that in the dark of the back of the Limo, Diggle would not see how disheveled they were.  
“How did it go?” Diggle asked.  
“Yeah that went better than planned actually,” Oliver said, stealing a quick stroke of Felicity’s hand in the dark of the car.  
While Diggle was on the phone to Carly, Oliver whispered to Felicity. “You know I think he suspects something?”  
“Yeah me too. He’s been giving me funny looks lately.”  
“Maybe we should tell him. But how?”  
“Well maybe we don’t have to tell him in words.” Oliver could see that Felicity had a plan and he would go along with it. When they reached her apartment building, Oliver got out to open her door for her. Felicity proceeded to shut the door before he could get back in. She grabbed his hand and tugged him towards her apartment.  
Felicity shot back a quick look. “Thanks Diggle. Goodnight. I’ll get him home safe and sound.” She saw the look of horror on his face as Oliver was half dragged into her apartment building.  
When they crossed the threshold they both broke down laughing. Tears had formed in Felicity’s eyes. “Did you see the look on his face? That was brilliant. Poor Diggle is probably still sitting out there confused. That’ll teach him to ever tell you not to see me again.”  
“Wow you hold a grudge! I’ll have to remember that.” And with that, Oliver and Felicity retired to her apartment for the night.


	21. Chapter 21

Hidden Chapter 21  
Diggle walked into Big Belly burger early the morning after the Skyscraper opening party. The morning after his suspicions about Oliver and Felicity were confirmed. He saw the pair sitting across from each other in a booth. They weren't being too obviously close but Diggle thought he noticed the barest touch of their fingertips against each other's.  
When Diggle approached, Felicity hopped out of her seat at the table. She avoided direct eye contact with Diggle but with an affectionate pat on his arm she said, "I think I'll go chat to Carly. Let you boys...talk."  
Diggle watched her walk towards his fiancée with a slightly bemused shake of the head. He turned his attention to Oliver, taking the seat vacated by Felicity. "So you two eh? Does nobody listen to me?" There was no sense of anger in Diggle's voice.  
"To be fair, I did take your advice at the time. But things changed and we're two mature adults who decided that this was worth a go." Oliver spoke as if seeking Diggle's approval, even though he didn't really need it.  
"How long?"  
"About a month," Oliver said, savoring a sip of his coffee.  
"Suppose it's a bit late for me to object then. Just don't...I don't know. Don't mess it up."  
"Thanks for the vote of confidence Dig."  
"Well I don't think this really is the day to pick on you." Diggle pulled the morning newspaper from under his arm. "Don't suppose you've seen this then?" The newspaper headline read 'Queen trial to start February 17th.'  
"No. I didn't," Oliver's jaw tensed and he took a long breath reading the headline. "I must try to visit my Mother."  
Felicity saw that the atmosphere had changed in the booth so returned to sit next to Oliver. Diggle watched her place her hand soothingly on his forearm when she saw the headline. "We knew this was coming up. We'll cope with it. It's better to get it over with," Felicity said reassuringly. Diggle noted the frequent use of 'we' and the way Oliver's fingers curled around the hand she had placed on his arm. He saw the way Oliver absent-mindedly stroked it while trying to give her a half-hearted smile.  
"I know. It's just going to be difficult. She has to face the families in the court-room of people that were lost. It's not going to be easy."  
"Let me know at any time if Carly and I can do anything," Diggle interjected.  
"Thank you," Oliver said solemnly.

The weeks passed quickly approaching the trial. They all tried to go on with life as normal. Thea had been quite upset by the resurgence of newspaper articles about her family. It was all being dredged up again. Felicity had asked Thea to breakfast a few days before the trial to get her out of the house. She had been holed up there, afraid of reporters trying to catch her. Felicity suggested they eat in the cafe of Queen Consolidated before she started work. She knew the security there would keep out nosey photographers.  
"Chai latte for you and double espresso for me," Felicity said plonking down a tray with their drinks and some muffins.  
"Thanks Felicity." Thea looked downhearted. "Hey, do you have a nickname?" Thea was avoiding talking about reality right now.  
"Um. Not really. My Dad used to call me Lissy. But that was a long time ago."  
"Lissy? I like that. Does Ollie not have a nickname for you?"  
"Not one I can share with his sister," Felicity blushed.  
"Ah yuck. You two are sickening," Thea joked, a faux disgusted look on her face. The girls laughed and tried to enjoy their breakfast together.  
"You did ask? Hey, come up to my office and I'll get you that book I was talking about," Felicity said, picking up her bag.  
"Cool. I'm glad we have the same taste in books. Ollie picked a good one in you," Thea said quietly, remembering her promise to be discrete about their relationship.

When the two women entered Felicity's office, they both gasped at the sight before them. The room was filled with flowers, every variety lighting up a different corner of the office with color. Thea beamed at Felicity as she looked at the card on the desk. She read it aloud. 'You said you didn't have a favorite flower so I tried to buy you one of everything in the shop. Happy Valentines.' Felicity's face lit up looking at the card. It was unsigned but it was obvious who their sender was.  
"Oh my God Felicity. My brother has got it bad for you!" Thea sniffed some of the bouquets. "I completely forgot about Valentines. Roy better get his act together."  
"I'd almost forgotten too." Felicity wasn't a person to need too many material items but she couldn't restrain the joy she felt inside right now.

That night Felicity had invited Oliver to her place for dinner. They had crossed a few names off the list recently so they needed a night off. It seemed to be a way for Oliver to try to contravene some of the negativity associated with his Mother's upcoming trial. When Oliver arrived, Felicity launched at him. She almost smothered him in a grateful hug.  
"So you liked the flowers?"  
"You shouldn't have Oliver," Felicity pulled Oliver into a kiss, teasing his mouth open with her tongue.  
"You keep up that and I don't think I'll make it to dinner."  
"We can reheat dinner later. It'll still be there," Felicity had a devious smile on her lips as she kissed down his jaw and nibbled at his neck.  
"I like where this is going," Oliver said, trying to move Felicity backward into her apartment. All of a sudden, she broke free and left a confused Oliver standing just inside the door feeling frustrated. "Where are you going?"  
"Two minutes. Stay there," he heard the voice come from her bedroom. She reappeared wearing a black skirt that would have been short on a child and white blouse, open to reveal a red bra underneath. It was similar to formal work clothes, except much more revealing. Felicity wore her glasses and paced towards him in the highest stilettos he had ever seen. He was impressed she could walk at all. She held a ruler in one hand, rapping it against the palm of her other hand. "So you said sexy librarian is your fantasy? Well you've been a bold boy not returning your books lately and I have to ask you to come to my office to explain."  
Oliver suddenly noticed the bright red lipstick and fingernails that Felicity had done tonight. He couldn't hold back his desire as he crossed the room in two strides and lifted Felicity clear off the floor by the waist. "You're incredible," he mumbled into her neck, trying to kiss his way down.  
Felicity giggled as he moved them todays her room. "I'm in charge tonight Mr. Queen. Now get down on your knees."  
"Yes ma'am." Oliver happily obliged, placing Felicity down on the edge of her dressing table. He nibbled his way up her legs, stopping behind her knees and looking up at this woman who had come to mean so much to him. He knew this kind of thing was outside of her comfort zone but yet she did these things to make him happy. He couldn’t remember feeling such affection for another person in a long time. They spent a wonderful Valentines night living out Oliver’s librarian fantasy. It was a great way to take their minds off what was to come in the next few days.

Moira Queen’s trial was one of the most high profile in Starling City history. There was tight security. Some people in Starling City did see Moira as the poor duped woman who did not know what Merlyn was doing until it was too late and who tried to stop the disaster then by going public. However an equal amount of people hated Moira with such vitriol that her name was spat out when spoken, especially in parts of the Glades.  
Oliver arrived early under police escort. When he arrived at the courthouse, an explosion of camera flashes greeted him. The police escort helped him break his way through the media wall and into the courtroom. Diggle was not needed in a bodyguard capacity with so many police officers so he hung back to the rear of the courtroom.  
When he entered he saw Laurel and Thea sitting together near the front. He saw Thea giving Felicity a wink two rows behind them. Oliver didn’t think that Thea would have said anything to Laurel about Felicity. If it was one thing they knew how to do in their family, it was bit discrete.  
Oliver gave the faintest of smiles to Felicity as he passed- so subtle that you wouldn’t have seen it if you weren’t looking. Felicity noted he wore a charcoal suit, muted to the mood of this occasion. She watched him take a seat next to his sister and give her hand a gentle squeeze. Felicity knew this trial would be long and that she couldn’t take the whole time off work, but wanted to be there for Thea and Oliver today.  
Moira was led into the courtroom, looking thinner and meeker than Felicity had ever seen her. Despite the conflicting emotions Felicity had about this woman, she was the mother of the man she loved and she couldn’t help feel a little sorry for her. Sitting there Felicity realized that she had just admitted to herself that she loved Oliver. She knew she did but never allowed herself to put it to words before. She looked the few rows ahead at Oliver, his shoulders stiff and the muscles in his neck tense and wished she could just take away all this pain from him.  
The first day was mainly made up of legal jargon and lawyers spoke endlessly. The court broke up that afternoon and Moira was led from the courthouse. She was allowed a quick hug with her children and then she was gone again, into the back of a prison van.   
Felicity saw the tears in Thea’s eyes as she watched her mother being led away. The next thing Felicity saw was the distinctive shine from the barrel of a gun. It was as if everything was in slow motion and she saw the gun pointed towards Oliver. He obviously did not see it among the many flashes of cameras still going off. The police were clearing the crowd ahead and did not appear to see it either. Felicity was only feet from Oliver but it was too loud to shout a warning in time. Felicity launched herself through the crowd.  
Oliver suddenly saw a terrified Felicity moving towards them and then it was all a blur. There was a gunshot. Then police descended on them. Then a man was being subdued and shouting that Moira should lose her children too. And then he noticed it. Felicity lay on the ground in front of them. She had tried to knock them out of the way. He thought at first she had just been knocked to the ground. He hurriedly kneeled down and when he got down next to her, he noticed that her hands covered her chest and when he tried to move them, he saw the blood.  
Felicity had been shot. Oliver’s brain seemed to freeze. All he could hear was a buzzing noise in his head. He thinks he might have screamed for an ambulance. Thea was beside him but he couldn’t hear her. Oliver bend down over Felicity, taking a bloodied hand in his. His other hand tried to put pressure on her wound. He doesn’t know what he’s doing. His mind isn’t working. He sees his tears drip onto Felicity’s face and realizes he’s crying. His face is inches from hers now and he can hear her trying to talk.  
“Don’t talk now. Rest. Help is on is way. Just breathe. Please Felicity.”  
“Oliver I…” Felicity coughed and her face contorted in pain.  
“Why?” He wanted to know why she would get in the way of a bullet. “I need you. I can’t live without you Felicity.”  
Felicity seemed to understand and said so quiet so that nobody would hear, “This city needs you.”  
Oliver recalls the next moments as a blur again as Felicity closed her eyes and a team of paramedics descended on them. He thinks he remembers Thea pulling him back and then Diggle trying to restrain him. He looked at the blood on his hands and heard in his head Felicity saying ‘This city needs you.’


	22. Chapter 22

Hidden Chapter 22  
White artificial lights glowed overhead. Sirens rang nearby. Shouts from doctors and nurses were a fuzzy mix of words in his ears. Thea’s hand gripped his tightly. Oliver stood outside of the resuscitation room at Starling General Hospital. He saw through the glass Felicity being lifted from the stretcher to the table. He could see them cutting away her clothes. He thinks he can hear Diggle saying something but he doesn’t know what. Several police officers were nearby, trying to keep media away. A rush of blood runs to Oliver’s head and he thinks he will faint. Instead he runs and throws up in a nearby bin. A kind nurse steers him to a chair, the hard plastic hospital kind and gives him a cardboard basin. Oliver tries to focus- breathe in and out. Through his head runs images of his Father and Yao Fei with bullet holes, Tommy with rubble on his chest. Bile rises in his throat.  
“Keep taking deep breaths. You’re hyperventilating Oliver,” he hears Diggle say, a firm hand on his shoulder. Oliver knows he is hyperventilating. He feels pins and needles in his hands and feet and a tightness in his chest. A tightness deep in his heart too. The world starts to come into focus again as he tries to slow his breathing.  
Oliver looks at Thea. Her eyes are red raw from tears. He sees Diggle. He looks like he could cry but is holding it together. He notices somebody has cleaned the blood from his hands but he still looks at where her blood had been.   
Oliver can hear the loud beeping of monitors and on a few occasions alarms go off and he jumps to his feet. But Diggle pulls him back down. “Let them work on her. You can’t do anything right now.” That’s right- he’d can’t do a thing.   
“She took a bullet for me,” he is almost inaudible over the bustle of the resuscitation area. “I love her Diggle. And now she might die because of me.” Oliver feels tears well again but he manages to swallow them back for now. He is almost too numb to even cry.  
“She obviously loves you too. You just have to be strong for her now,” Diggle says, a slight tremor in his voice.  
“You were right. I put her in danger.” Oliver knew that Thea could hear him but he didn’t care. It was Oliver Queen and not the Hood that had gotten Felicity injured. Oliver realizes that there will be very excitable reporters wondering why Oliver Queen was crying over the injured body of an unidentified blonde. They will be trying to find out who she is.  
Oliver sees Detective Lance and Laurel approaching them. Oliver stands even though he doesn’t know if his legs will hold him up. Laurel envelops him in a hug. When she pulls back she asks, “The girl that was shot. I met her at your club? She seemed nice.” He grimaces at the use of the past tense but knows that Laurel does not mean it maliciously.  
Detective Lance speaks now. “She’s a great girl. She helped me out on something before and she seemed to be good person.” Diggle and Oliver try not to flinch as they should not know that Felicity helped Detective Lance disarm one of the devices that was under the Glades. “How did you know her?”  
“She worked at my company. Helped me out at the club too.” Oliver felt like he was betraying her by keeping her hidden so he added with quivering voice, “We’ve been seeing each other. We…” Oliver couldn’t finish the end of his thought. Another alarm sounded from the room where Felicity was and his eyes darted in their direction.  
Detective Lance looked sympathetically at Oliver even though Oliver knew he must be thinking that here Oliver is putting another girl’s life at risk. “We have the man who intended to shoot you. He lost his teenaged son in the earthquake.”  
Oliver at that moment would like to have had some sympathy for him but if Felicity died, he would move Heaven and Earth to put an arrow in him.  
“We’ll take a statement later. I know you have better things to worry about right now. Good luck,” said the detective.   
Laurel gave him another tight squeeze and one to Thea too. “Let me know if I can do anything. Please.”

Hours had passed. Felicity had been taking to radiology and to theatre and was now being wheeled back to a room in ICU. Oliver had sent Thea away. She looked exhausted and Diggle had called Roy to come and get her.  
Diggle and Oliver stood silently outside the bedroom until the nurse said it was alright to enter. “Go on in first Oliver. I’ll wait out here.”  
Oliver entered and remembered how quiet hospital rooms can be. There was a gentle beeping from a few machines. He saw Felicity, intubated, the tube in her mouth breathing for her. She had been cleaned up and was in a hospital gown, tucked in under the sheets. IV lines hung from both arms. He walked slowly towards her, almost afraid to approach. He planted a soft kiss to her forehead and then sat down next to her. He slipped his hand into hers. Her skin was so soft but colder than usual. He listened as the machine took breathes in and out for her. He couldn’t help the tears that escaped him. He buried his head into the side of her bedcovers and sobbed.   
Diggle watched from outside the room as the man who he knew to be scared of nothing, was terrified right now. He looked broken. Diggle didn’t think either of them could handle losing Felicity but knew that it would kill Oliver.

Oliver fell asleep with his head on the edge of Felicity’s bed. Diggle dozed in a chair in the corner of the room. Carly had rang him earlier crying when she saw the news. A doctor entered the room and the two men startled slightly before jumping to their feet.  
“Hi I’m Jack Larson. I’m the surgeon who worked on Ms. Smoak. Are either of you next of kin?”  
Oliver’s throat was dry when he spoke. “Her grandmother is. She’s too unwell to travel but Mr. Diggle here has spoken to her. I’m her…boyfriend.” He didn’t know what word to chose to describe what he was.  
“Ok. Well Ms. Smoak is still very unwell but stable. The bullet might have killed somebody else but because of her previous injury, her anatomy was slightly altered and the bullet just missed the main artery. We didn’t need to perform open surgery because the bullet went clear through, the same as the last time by the looks of it. She was lucky.”   
Oliver scoffed at the word ‘lucky’. He knew that Diggle was obviously confused about the talk of a previous injury but he didn’t ask. He knew now was not the time. 

Over the next few days, Oliver rarely left her side. Thea had forced him home to shower and eat once while she stayed with Felicity. She had grown to care about Felicity since they had first met at Christmas.  
After three days Felicity began to improve and they extubated her. She did not wake up right away as there was still sedative in her system. At 1:30am on the forth day Oliver was awoken by a stirring underneath where his head rested on her bed. He looked up to see Felicity’s eyes fluttering slightly. He jumped to his feet.  
“Felicity. Hey.” Oliver stroked the side of her face, brushing through her hair softly. “How do you feel?”  
It took a second to get out a hoarse sentence. “Like shit,” Felicity said, with almost a smile on her lips.  
“Well you still look perfect to me.”  
“Charmer!” Felicity huskily grumbled.  
“Rest now and I’ll get the nurse.” Oliver went to leave but Felicity grabbed his arm, stronger than he thought her capable of right now.  
“Wait. Is everyone else ok? Thea?” Oliver couldn’t believe how incredible this woman was to wake up in ICU and firstly think of everyone else.  
“Everyone is fine.” Oliver’s voice broke and he moved in closer to her. “I love you Felicity Smoak.”  
“I love you too,” Felicity said, a tear rolling down her cheek.


	23. Chapter 23

Hidden Chapter 23

After two weeks in hospital, Felicity was cleared for discharge. She was still quite sore and needed some recuperation time but was on the mend.  
Oliver arrived at the hospital and met Diggle in the corridor. Diggle detected that something wasn’t right with Oliver. He had larger bags under his eyes than usual.   
“Hey Dig. Will you bring Felicity home?” Oliver seemed to avoiding eye contact with Diggle.  
“Sure. You not going to come back with us?”  
“I’ll not be going home with her.”  
“Ok. Why, what are you up to today Oliver? I know you’re Mother’s case isn’t being heard again until Monday”  
“I’m going to speak to Felicity before she goes home?”  
Diggle started to feel apprehensive. “Speak to her about what, Oliver?” Diggle took a step towards Oliver.  
“You were right. I should have listened to you.”  
Anger rose in Diggle as he realized what Oliver was talking about. “What? Are you insane Oliver?”  
“You told me it was too dangerous for her and I realized now you were right. I shouldn’t have started this with her.”  
“Yeah maybe you shouldn’t have started something with her but the fact is you did. It’s a bit late to be thinking like that.”  
“No Diggle. It’s too dangerous for her. I won’t do that to her.”  
Diggle felt like taking a swing at Oliver, right in the middle of the corridor of the hospital. “You cannot be serious. You told me you loved this girl. You cannot tell her the day she is leaving the hospital that you are ending it.”  
“I do love her. That’s the reason I’m doing this. I can’t do this to her. It’s not safe. I was selfish to think I could do this. I can’t keep her safe. I can’t protect her like I promised.”  
“Don’t do this Oliver.”  
“I’ve made my mind up,” Oliver jaw clenched. “It’s the best thing for Felicity and that’s the important thing.”  
“Oliver…”   
Diggle was cut off but Oliver holding his hand up. “This conversation is over.” Oliver walked towards Felicity’s room, his hands shaking slightly.

Inside he found Felicity. She was dressed in real clothes for the first time in weeks. She was packing the last few items into her gear bag. When she saw Oliver, she beamed at him. She was obviously delighted to be going home. “Hey there. Good timing. I’m nearly ready to go.”  
Oliver didn’t respond. He stood there, examining the cracks on the floor tiles.  
“You alright Oliver?” Felicity said closing the gap between them. She leant a hand out towards him but he flinched away. “What’s wrong?”  
He spoke flatly. “Diggle will take you home. I’ve arranged for a nurse to call in for an hour a day for the next week.”  
Felicity withdrew her hand. “I don’t need a nurse.”  
“She’ll just help with washing and dressing changes.” Oliver’s voice sounded like it was on autopilot.  
“Ok. Thanks. I suppose. What’s wrong?” Felicity’s voice was tinged with concern.   
“Look Felicity I think we should take a breather.” Oliver tried to look her in the eye but failed.  
Felicity stood in front of him, smaller looking than he had ever seen her. She had lost weight in the hospital and her clothes hung from her tiny frame. She looked so fragile. “Are you saying you want to break up with me?”  
Oliver paused for the longest time. “Yeah I suppose that’s what I mean.”  
“Oliver it wasn’t your fault I was shot. You don’t have to do this.” Felicity tried to walk towards him again but he took a step back.  
“I’ve made up my mind Felicity.” Oliver sounded cold. He sounded like the Hood.  
“Oh you’ve made up your mind? Do I get a say in this?”  
“No,” Oliver interrupted her. He was firm but not harsh. “This is for the best. We can’t really have believed this could have worked.”  
Oliver’s resolve almost broke when he saw the tears start to form in her eyes. This was just about the hardest thing he’d ever done. “You have visited me every day that I’ve been here but I did think you were very quiet the last few days. Did you just decide this in the last couple or days? Don’t you want time to think about this?”  
“I have thought about this. Sorry.”  
“You told me you loved me. Is that true or not?”  
“It doesn’t matter…” Oliver started.   
“What the hell do you mean it doesn’t matter? It matters to me. I never thought you were a coward Oliver but this seems cowardly to me.”  
“I’m not the kind of man who can settle down. It’s better we end this now.”  
“I know you want to save everybody Oliver but I was the one that put myself in front of that bullet. I should be allowed to make my own choices.” Felicity was angry now.  
Oliver turned away from her towards the door. He knew he couldn’t look at her and say what he had to say. “Goodbye Felicity. Diggle is ready to take you home.” He paused momentarily with his hand on the door handle. Felicity thought he was going to say something else but then he just opened the door and left. 

Diggle brushed past him on his way into the room, knocking him on the shoulder quite hard. Oliver did not stop to apologize. Diggle saw Felicity stand in the middle of the room, tears streaming down her cheeks. He crossed the room and pulled her towards him. He didn’t say anything. He just felt her sob into his chest while he tried to soothe her by patting her hair lightly.

Two days passed and Oliver did not once leave his bedroom. He heard a light tapping on his door as he stood at the window.  
“Ollie? You in there?” Thea opened his bedroom door, not waiting for a response, and walked towards him. “Why are you all holed up in here? Isn’t Felicity supposed to be getting out of hospital any day now? I texted her but heard nothing back.”  
“She got out a few days ago Thea.” Oliver’s voice shook every so slightly but he was able to keep his composure. This was a skill he had to learn on Lian Yu.  
“Weren’t you going to bring her here for a while to recover?”  
“I was. But I changed my mind. We’re going to take a…break.”  
Thea stormed across the room towards her brother, smacking him hard on the arm. “What? You stupid son of a bitch.”  
“Thea, I don’t need this right now?”  
“What did you do?”  
“I think she would be better without me.”   
Before Oliver could finish his sentence Thea interrupted. “Did you break up with her? What the hell? You do remember she jumped in front of a bullet for us?”  
“Yes I remember,” Oliver said through gritted teeth. “That’s why she’s safer away from me for a while.”  
“Ollie you go right back there and grovel for her to take you back!” Thea was fuming now.  
“I can’t. It’s for the best.” Oliver tried to sound like he was completely ok but Thea knew better.  
“Oliver you have been happier in the past few months than I have ever seen you. Despite the crap we’re all going through at the moment and the last few years, she brought light into your life. And you let her go?” Thea flopped down onto the side of the bed and looked defeated.  
“I’m sorry Thea. It’s done. It has to be that way.” Oliver’s resolve was nearly broken again when he saw his sister trying to hold back tears. “I’d like to be alone if you don’t mind?”  
Thea looked as if she was going to say something but instead just shook her head and slammed his bedroom door on leaving.

Oliver didn’t go back to the Foundry for another few days. Diggle had not contacted him in that time. When he arrived he heard the sounds of Diggle training. Oliver threw his gear-bag down and stood at the edge of the training area. Even though Diggle heard him he didn’t immediately stop. Over the sounds of him punching the training bag, Diggle said, “I was wondering when you’d show your face.”  
“Dig, please! I can’t right now.” Oliver wasn’t really able to enunciate but Diggle understood that he wasn’t up for a fight and didn’t push. “Have you seen her?”  
“She texted yesterday. She has gone to stay with her grandmother for a few weeks. It’ll be good for her to have time to recover.”  
“How is she?” Oliver dared to ask.  
Diggle gave him a sour look. “Getting there. Have you thought about what will happen when she comes back? I mean regarding working with us.”  
“I haven’t thought that far ahead. Though in the time she’s worked with us she’s had a bomb attached to her neck, being held by a dangerous casino boss, buried in the rubble of this place and almost…” Oliver couldn’t finish the sentence for the lump forming in his throat.  
“I know this is hard for you. But she knew the risks of working with the Hood and she knew the risks of dating Oliver Queen and she’s a smart girl. She made an informed choice. I think we should let her decide what she wants to do.”

Oliver dressed in his training gear and started to pound the punching bag. He had never felt so hollow. He had some tiny thread of hope when he was on the island but now he was devoid it. He longed to feel Felicity in his arms but instead he just stood punishing his fists on the bag.


	24. Chapter 24

Hidden Chapter 24  
Oliver thought that as the weeks went by things would become easier. Instead they became more difficult. He had only started to sleep through the night when he had Felicity next to him in the bed. Her warm soft body pressed tenderly against him. She would wake him and soothe him when he had a nightmare- when he thought he was still on the island. They would lie in the dark and he would tell her more things about what happened to him on the island as she traced silently along his scars. Now she was gone he lay awake in the dark- sleep no longer was his friend.   
In the morning despite not being able to sleep, he found it so difficult to get out of bed. He had to force himself under the shower. Sometimes he would put the water on cold, just to feel something.   
He forced himself into Queen Consolidated where he sat in meetings not listening to anything that was going on. He would nod at appropriate intervals but all he heard was white noise. His stomach clenched when he passed Felicity’s empty office.  
Oliver tried to eat but he just moved his jaws opened and closed in a robotic fashion just so that he could force the food down. Nothing tasted good. He longed to be sitting with Felicity watching a movie, eating popcorn. He didn’t think that he was a huge fan of popcorn but maybe it just tasted better with her.  
Diggle didn’t fight with him anymore about the break-up but he was still quieter and colder with him. His sister barely spoke to him. She spent most of her time in the club but he felt that she was avoiding him.  
Oliver went to visit his Mother at the weekend. She was exhausted from the trial. There were hundreds of witnesses to be called and it would take a few weeks more to get through them all. She had asked him not to come for too much of the trial. He didn’t need to hear all the dirty details- he could read enough of it in the papers. This Saturday he visited his Mother, he was allowed face-to-face contact and for the first time since he was a child, he buried his face in her shoulder and allowed tears to escape. His Mother didn’t pull away to look at him. She knew he would not want anyone see him cry so she just held him.

Felicity had spent the few weeks being spoiled by her Grandmother. She had insisted Felicity sit on the couch or on the porch all day and she fed her up, saying she looked too skinny now. She loved this woman dearly and felt like she could stay forever. Her physical wounds were healing well. However she needed to return home at some point. She had worked hard to get to where she was in her job and she needed to get back to it. She wouldn’t let Oliver ruin this. She alternated between being furious with Oliver and missing him. She hadn’t formulated a plan for what she would do when she returned to Starling City.  
When she arrived home her apartment felt empty. Spring was starting to come in but it was still cold. She had very little food so she decided to drive to the store to get some groceries. Everything reminded her of Oliver. When she sat in the car, she remembered how they had got giddy and fooled around in her car one evening. They felt like teenagers but had no hold-ups with each other. She could still feel the heat of his breath on her neck and his hands on her body.  
“Hold it together Felicity. You’re a big girl,” she chided herself. On the way to the store she liked, she skirted the edge of the Glades. Rebuilding was coming along now and there were construction sites everywhere.   
Night was approaching but through the dim she spotted something. Something that made her stomach churn acid and her mouth go dry. Three men sat on some stacked wood at the edge of a building site. They were smoking and one of them was sipping a bottle from a brown paper bag. She didn’t know if she would recognize them again but she instantly did. Even at this distance she thought she could still see the sadistic glint in the leader’s eyes.  
Felicity thought she would be sick. She pulled over to the side of the street, far enough away that they would not see her. She made sure the car doors were locked and unlocked the glove compartment. She took out the gun she had in there. She held the heavy metal in her hands, very aware of the coldness of the weapon. She sat there for a long time until the sun had completely gone down.  
The three men continued to smoke and drink at the side of the street, unaware they were being watched. Felicity knew that she could be out of the car and had taken them down before they even realized what was happening. A young girl walked past them and she saw their eyes follow her down the street. Felicity’s blood boiled inside of her. It took all of her energy to calm her breathing down. But she froze and couldn’t get out of the car to exact her revenge.  
With shaking hands, Felicity took her phone from her bag. She knew that maybe she would regret it but she started a text message to Oliver. She kept it simple and told him that she needed him, that she had found the three men from the night of the earthquake that attacked her and that her GPS was on her phone. She didn’t know if he had his phone close to hand or if he was in a position to respond but she couldn’t phone him. She didn’t even know if Oliver would recognize the men from that night even if he did come. She didn’t think her voice would hold up if she tried to speak to him.  
She sat there for maybe forty-five minutes and was giving up hope when she saw the three men fall one by one, each with a single arrow in them. She looked and saw the light glint off Oliver’s hood as he fled the roof-top across the street.   
Felicity knew that the police wouldn’t be far behind so she started up her car and headed home.  
Felicity’s legs were shaky as she entered her apartment. She didn’t quite know how she managed to drive herself home. Her hands were sore from gripping the steering wheel so tight. She entered the apartment and her heart jumped again as she saw the unmistakable hooded figure sitting in the streetlight coming through her window.  
All she managed to say was, “I should really change my alarm code.” Neither of them moved an inch. Felicity managed to then gain the strength to move onto the couch. She sat precariously at the edge, her hands clamped on her knees, bones shaking against each other. Her teeth were chattering. She couldn’t see Oliver’s face in the dim light. His hood was down and she did see his green camouflage was wiped off. His bow and arrows sat at his feet. He could have been a statue he was so still.  
A long silence sat between them. Felicity tried to say his name but all she managed to croak out was “Ol...” Tears escaped her now and before she knew what was happening he was in front of her on his knees, his head on her lap. She felt his chest heave and she couldn’t help but put her head down on the back of his. Fresh tears rolled down onto his neck. Oliver’s hand came up to surround her waist on the couch. Felicity thought she could hear the faintest whisper. “I’m sorry,” she thought he said. They stayed like that until no more tears were left.


	25. Chapter 25

Hidden Chapter 25  
Felicity sat quietly on the edge of the couch until Oliver’s body stilled and his breathing slowed. She sat back and felt his hold loosen on her waist. Oliver slowly lifted his head from her lap and looked directly at Felicity, his eyes reddened. Felicity still sat quite stiff. She didn’t know how she felt about this man after he had broken her heart.  
“I don’t expect you to forgive me Felicity but I’m lost without you.” Oliver took her hands in his.  
“I don’t know Oliver. I don’t know if I can risk you deciding in another few months that you don’t want to be with me again.” There was no anger in Felicity’s voice but there was hurt.  
“It was never the case that I didn’t want to be with you. I just thought…” Oliver looked down at their intertwined hands. “Since I came back I have been trying to make this small part of the world a better place. But without you in my life, I don’t know if I can go on. You make this world a brighter place. I only felt like there was darkness when you weren’t with me. I don’t ever want to be without you again. I thought pushing you away would protect you but I’m selfish and want you with me.”  
Felicity sat in the dim room, choking back tears. ‘I thought I had cried myself out in the last few weeks but I guess there’s still a little more in there,’ Felicity thought but stayed silent, looking at Oliver’s hand stroking hers gently.  
“You’re perfect to me. I didn’t think I deserved something so perfect. I felt like this solitary life of the Hood was my penance for my Father’s mistakes and for my selfish life before the island.”  
“But you’re not alone. Since Diggle and I joined you, you should have known you weren’t alone.”  
“I love you Felicity. Please…” Oliver’s words were cut off by Felicity’s soft lips on his. At first she didn’t move but then Oliver felt the fierceness in her lips.  
Felicity pushed the hooded jacket from his shoulders. He could not see her expression clearly but could feel her eyes on him. "I don't want to talk right now. I just need..." Oliver seemed to understand that she just wanted him to make love to her. To take away the pain she was feeling and the fear she had tonight as she texted him from her car. He knew there was plenty of time to talk later but now she wanted to forget.  
Felicity tugged on Oliver's shirt, her nails digging into the flesh through the thin material. She pulled him up towards her to lay down on top of her on the coach. Oliver's weight held her in place there but she continued to frantically kiss him, trying to release him from his shirt at the same time. Oliver pulled at her blouse, shifting slightly so that she could free herself from it. He was mindful of her healing wound but she was attacking him with such ferocity, he didn't think it was paining her.  
Neither of them spoke. Oliver placed coarse kisses into her neck, enough to probably leave a slight mark tomorrow. He hiked up her skirt around her waist and tugged at her underwear. She pushed him slightly off her and he understood it was so he would stand and remove his pants. He stood before her naked. She lay there panting in only her skirt and white cotton bra. Fire boiled in him and he lay back down on top of her. He had missed her soft body in his arms. He longed to feel more of her.  
Felicity nudged him slightly so that she could flip him onto his back. She straddled him now. Light came in from the streetlamp outside to illuminate her face slightly and Oliver admired the look of passion he saw. She positioned herself so that she could move her hips against him. They made love, faster and more fiery than usual, Felicity biting down on Oliver's neck as she came. They fell back into the couch panting, sweat dripping down their backs.  
They sat together for a few minutes, neither one of them wanting to break apart. When they calmed down, Felicity broke away and said nothing. She just walked away towards the bathroom. Oliver lay there until he heard the sound of her shower starting. His mind raced. He didn’t know if this was a sign she had forgiven him or whether it was just to feel something. He knew that this night must have been so difficult for her. She had returned to the city, found the men who had attacked her, seen Oliver for the first time since he broke off their relationship and has listened to him confess his love for her.

Felicity stood under the hot stream of water. Her hands began to shake again. She was remembering the way she felt as she saw those three men fall, arrows in their chests. She knew that by texting Oliver, she was asking him to murder for her. She had seen the looks the men had given the young girl who had walked by while she watched from the car. She couldn’t take the risk they would hurt somebody else. She tried not to feel like she had them killed purely for revenge.  
Oliver had professed his love for her too tonight. She still didn’t know if she could trust him completely but she knew that she was better with him that without him and that she truly loved him too. Her small crush when he entered her office for the first time had grew and deepened. She had never felt so loved as she did when he lay next to her in bed, just staring at her. In those moments it seemed like they could be the only two people in the world. They talked a lot too. They were so different in so many ways but deeply compatible in so many others. She figured that it was worth taking the risk again.

Oliver walked into Felicity’s bedroom. He rooted around to find the bits of clothes that he had left in her place over the past few months. He was glad to find that she hadn’t thrown them out. He threw on tracksuit pants and a T-shirt. Felicity liked to wear his T-shirts and he could smell her perfume from his clothes. He took a deep breath in, loving the way it made him feel.  
Just then Felicity exited the bathroom. She was wrapped in a towel. Her hair was pulled up messily in a bun, the ends of it damp. She looked radiant.  
Oliver summoned the courage to speak. “Are we ok?”  
Felicity actually gave a small smile and said slowly: “We will be.” She walked towards him cautiously and when he was sure she would allow him, he pulled her into him, hugging her tight. She kept her face buried in his T-shirt. “You mess me around again, I’ll put one of your own arrows in you.”   
Oliver waited with baited breath for the briefest of seconds to respond until he felt Felicity laugh slightly. He looked down towards her and locked his lips on hers, cupping her face with his strong hands. His lips moved tenderly over hers. “I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”


	26. Chapter 26

Hidden Chapter 26  
Dry grass crackled underfoot. A warm wind breezed past his head. The perfume of wild flowers filled Oliver’s senses. He looked around at the trees, most with new Spring buds forming on them.  
When he asked Felicity what she wanted to do for a date, this was the last thing he expected her to ask. He wanted to make their first date since they had patched things up to be special. He had told her he’d take her away somewhere really nice for the weekend. They could stay in the presidential suite of any top hotel. But Felicity had asked for a simple request.  
“Teach me to shoot an arrow,” she asked. “I want to know what you feel when you fire one.”  
Oliver and Felicity had spent most of the last three days since Felicity had returned to Starling city holed up in her apartment. Oliver had left briefly to show his face at Queen Consolidated for a board meeting and dropped by home for clean clothes. Last night he had spent a few hours patrolling with Diggle but had returned to her apartment before midnight. They had a lot of talking to do. Felicity asked him not to keep apologizing. She said she didn’t need groveling, that all she needed was proof that he did still love her. Oliver had cooked for her and helped change the dressing on her wound.  
In the evening they sat on her tiny balcony for ages, watching the stars and drinking red wine. Oliver had held her hand for hours, not wanting to ever forget the feel of her small fingers in his.  
Now here the pair were out in the forest. It was about ten miles outside Starling City.  
“How did you know about this place?” Felicity asked Oliver. She wore shorts and a tank top with a green hoodie over it and climbing boots.  
“My Dad would take me out hunting here as a child.” Oliver carried a bag with two bows and arrows. If anyone ever suspected him of being the vigilante, they would have doubted he would have been brazen enough to walk into a sports shop and buy two bows. They weren’t as strong as his but he could hardly bring his own out. And Felicity needed something easy to start on. “I could have just shown you on bales of hay but there’s something about this place I want to show you later.”  
They continued trekking through the woods, the spring sun warm on them. “So how did John take it?” Felicity knew that Oliver was going to mention to Diggle the night before that they were going to try to make things work.  
“Well, there were a lot of expletives. And then he said he’d do some painful sounding things to me with my bow if I messed you around again.” Oliver held his hand out to Felicity to help her over a fallen trunk. Birds sang faintly in the background.  
“Good old John looking out for me.” Felicity had such a fondness for their other partner-in-crime.  
“When he came around to the idea, he specified no make-up sex in the Foundry,” Felicity smiled over at Oliver, trying to figure out if this was something John would actually say.  
“Well then we better not tell him about all the sex we’ve already had there or he’ll not be happy.” Felicity returned Oliver a cheeky smile.  
“You know they have set a date?”  
“Really? That’s great,” Felicity jumped up and down with excitement.  
“Yeah it’s this June 16th.”  
“Ah that’s fabulous. They’re moving quick.”  
“Can’t keep down true love, eh?” Oliver gave her a quick squeeze of the hand before letting go again.  
When they reached a clearing, Oliver began to unload the bows. “The most important thing about archery is picturing the target you want to hit, not thinking too much about what your hands are actually doing.”  
As he bent over, Felicity smiled as she spotted the pendant she had given him at Christmas hanging from a chain around his neck. He wore it all the time but kept it hidden under his shirt. Before bed she would see him pop in it his shoe until the morning but always put it on again before he went out.   
Oliver placed the bow in Felicity’s hands and loaded an arrow. The arrow’s weren’t particularly sharp but looked aerodynamic enough. Oliver stood behind Felicity and put his arms around her to position her best. He placed one hand on her hip to point her in the direction she needed to be. Felicity took a deep breath. She had missed the way that Oliver’s touch made her feel. His breath on her neck made her shiver. He had tried the last few days to explain why he had done what he had done. If she was honest with herself, she respected him for trying to end it just to protect her. She knew that he would never want harm to come to her.  
“Ok now. Keep steady and when you’re ready, release,” Oliver said, aiming for a tree up ahead. "Now release," Oliver whispered into her ear. The arrow soared through the air and hit the intended target. "Brilliant. You're a natural. Now do it on your own."  
Felicity reloaded the bow, less clumsily than he thought she would be. She took aim and with an intense look of concentration, fired it quite close to the last one. She did a little fist pump of victory. "I'm not too shabby."  
"Not too shabby at all," Oliver said, giving her a celebratory peck on the cheek. They had not quite got back to their comfort zone with each other yet but they were trying.  
Oliver was very impressed with Felicity's skills and after practicing for over an hour, Oliver encouraged Felicity to hike a little further.  
While they were walking Oliver took Felicity's hand. "You know I could have a protégé in you yet. Dig showed me some of the weapons you had been tinkering with while you were away." They both knew 'away' was the easiest way to describe their time apart. "That sonic thing looks promising. Why didn't you show it to me?  
"That's my sonic screecher. You need to wear ear plugs to use it because its high pitch screech perforates your eardrums and stops you in your tracks. I figured you're more the silent type so I was going to test-drive it next time I was in the field."  
"Very cool. How's your wound feeling? Did our lesson aggravate it?"  
"No it feels ok. Took few painkillers this morning but nothing heavy. I was a bit loopy on some of the painkillers they gave me when I left the hospital. I was rambling even more than usual. I’ve hardly any pain now."  
"That's good. Don't want to be dragging you through the woods and you in pain. Did you ever go camping as a child?"  
"Can you really see me going camping? There's nowhere to charge my laptop out here!" Oliver laughed at the thought. "Does it bring back bad memories from the island when you're out somewhere like this?"  
"Not really. The outdoors wasn't the worst part of the island." Oliver recalled the time he was kept in a cage by Fyers.  
"Did you ever give up hope when you were on the island?"  
"Yeah a few times I did. I hit rock bottom and couldn't see light at the end of the tunnel. It was the way I felt this time last week."  
Felicity stopped in her tracks briefly. She had been so angry with Oliver when they were apart, she didn't stop to think that he could have been hurting too. "Well hopefully we can put that behind us." Felicity gave a reassuring squeeze of his hand.  
"We're nearly there and just in time.” Felicity and Oliver rounded a corner and a spectacular panorama of Starling City lay before them. “It’s beautiful when the sun is low in the sky behind it.”  
Felicity gaped at the beauty of the city in the distance. It felt like up here there was no hurt from the destruction of the Glades. All pain was momentarily frozen. “It’s spectacular.”  
Oliver sat on the edge of a rock overlooking the landscape and pulled Felicity into his lap. He hugged her tight as she wrapped one arm around his neck, her eyes never leaving the view. Oliver buried his face into the curve of her neck and reveled in this feeling. “I want to fight to make this city better. But more importantly, I now want to make it a better place for you to live in. For us to spend our lives in.”  
Felicity doesn’t think she ever remembered Oliver thinking this far into the future before but she liked the sound of it.  
Oliver and Felicity hiked back to the car a shorter way than they came. They sun was going down as they neared the car but there was still enough light to see. To Felicity’s right she saw a small lake as they neared where they parked the car.  
“Hey Oliver. I’m sure in your wild youth you’ve done your fair share of this but how about you join me for a little skinny dip?” Felicity had a flirty edge to her voice.  
“It’s not even April. It’s probably freezing.”  
“Oh come on big boy. You can do it.” Felicity was already pulling her hoodie off and walking towards the water. “Just a quick dip.” The remaining threads of her clothes were being shed as Oliver stood there startled by her new found confidence.  
“I never knew you had this side Ms. Smoak. Public nudity?” Oliver began to strip now too. “I like it.”  
“There’s nobody to see us. C’mon.” Felicity slid into the water, the coolness invigorating her.  
Oliver followed her in and left out a sharp gasp out when the temperature hit him. “Come here and keep me warm.”  
Felicity obeyed and swan towards him, her skin gleaming in the dusk light. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her naked legs around his waist and kissed him.   
They stayed like that in each other’s arms until the moon was all the light left and their skin was shriveled, just taking getting to know each other’s body’s again.

Oliver and Felicity returned to the mansion that night. Oliver went for a shower to warm up. When he returned, Felicity was sprawled sideways on his bed, eyes closed and sleeping peacefully. He took the time to admire her as her tank top had slipped up her body as she lay there. He loved the perfect line her ribs made with her stomach and couldn’t help himself, placing soft kisses along it. Felicity murmured and groggily moaned, awakening realizing what he was doing. Oliver was clad only in his towel.  
When he saw the smile forming on her lips, he took it as an invitation to continue. He moved his kisses up along her chest, pushing her top out of the way. She could feel through the towel his excitement against her leg. She lazily pulled him up towards her and took his mouth in hers. Oliver kissed back down her body and removed the shorts from her with ease. He began to tease her through her underwear and when she bucked up towards him, he couldn’t hold back any longer and freed her of her underwear too.  
Felicity rolled him to his back and sank down onto him. They made love for the first time in his bed since before the shooting. With each day that passed, they were able to put more of the bad memories behind them.

During the night Felicity was parched. She had drunk the glass of water Oliver had put next to her bed. She thought it must have been all the fresh air they had that day. She looked over to see Oliver asleep. She delighted in the fact that he could sleep peacefully again next to her.  
Felicity pulled Oliver’s shirt on and padded towards the kitchen. It was the middle of the night and last thing she expected was to meet someone on the stairs.   
A squeal of delight almost deafened her as she realized it was Thea she had bumped into. Oliver ran from the room, dressed only in his boxers and turned on the light to see his sister tightly hugging a bewildered looking Felicity.  
“Oh my God. I’ve missed you so much. So you forgave this jerk then?” Thea said, aiming a thumb towards her brother.  
“Hey!” Oliver didn’t really have any more of a defense than that.  
“We’re giving it another go. We just had a minor lapse,” Felicity said. Oliver was heartened to hear Felicity refer to it as a ‘minor lapse’ in their relationship.  
Thea hugged Felicity tightly again. “We have so much to catch up on. Put some clothes on and come down stairs with me.” Felicity shrugged her shoulders at Oliver but was glad that the younger girl was welcoming her back so warmly.


	27. Chapter 27

Hidden Chapter 27  
Felicity spent a lot of the next two weeks in the mansion. She spent her afternoons watching movies and chatting to Thea and her evenings with Oliver. Things felt like they were back to normal. She was enjoying her time with Oliver again and they were able to put the past behind them.  
Oliver had taken her out a few more times for some archery lessons and was very impressed with her skills.   
Felicity had dropped by Diggle and Carly’s to congratulate them on setting a date for the wedding. She knew she would have to face Diggle sooner or later. Carly had hugged her so hard when she saw her it almost hurt. Diggle acted a little like a disapproving older brother for a few minutes but came around again. He told her that as long as Oliver didn’t mess things up again, he was happy for them.  
It was time for Felicity to return to work. She had tried to return a few weeks earlier but Walter had ordered her to stay away for a while longer. When she returned to her office, Walter had a large bunch of flowers waiting for her. The rest of the department had got her a cake to welcome her back. None of them brought up the fact that she was on the front of every major newspaper with Oliver Queen crying onto her bloodied body. There were rumors before and there would be rumors again since about them. They were not oblivious to his frequent visits to her office. In fact she was fairly sure someone won the office pool on when they would be outed on seeing the newspaper stories.  
Felicity was settling back into her work. She had several thousand emails to get through before she could even get onto her real work. A familiar face appeared at her office door and she stood to greet him.  
“Detective Lance. Hello.” Felicity tried to tidy her desk slightly, welcoming the police officer in.  
“Morning Ms. Smoak. Glad to see you back on your feet.”  
“Call me Felicity please.”  
“Ok Felicity.” She motioned for him to take a seat and retook her own chair. “I just dropped by to let you know that the man who shot you has been deemed unfit to stand trial. He’s being held in a psychiatric institution. I know it would be nice to have the trial…”  
“No,” Felicity interrupted. “That’s ok. I can understand grief does terrible things to people. I’ve made my peace with that.”  
“You’re a good person Felicity.” Lance lowered his voice slightly. “I was just wondering if you were doing some of your ‘other work’ still.” The pair both knew to what he was referring.  
“Not really Detective.” Felicity leaned across the desk slightly.  
“He’s helped me out on a few cases over the last few months and I’ve come to respect him. I can’t say I approve of his methods but he’s helped a lot of people too.”  
“He has,” Felicity smiled to herself. “I’ve stopped helping him because if Oliver got wind I was helping the vigilante, he would not be happy.”  
“Does he have any idea?” Lance raised a questioning eyebrow.  
“Hell no. Oliver hates the vigilante. I could never let him know. I loved helping him but I think I have enough on my plate.”  
“And the vigilante doesn’t mind.”  
“I only contact him indirectly but no, he understands.”  
“So you and Oliver are still going strong?” Lance was trying not to sound prying.  
“Yeah we are. Look Detective. I know he messed both your daughters around and you hate him for that. However he’s an entirely different person since he came back from that island. He feels it was his penance of sorts. He’ll never fully forgive himself for what happened but I was hoping that you could try to forgive him.” Felicity genuineness made a dent in Lance’s external harshness.  
“I think he is a different person. Laurel assures me of that. And I hope that he’s good to you and that you’re happy. I’ll just take your work that’s he’s different.”  
“Thank you.”   
“Well I better go. Glad to see you looking a lot better. Take care of yourself.”  
“You too Detective.”

At lunchtime Oliver dropped by. She could see the eyes of the entire department follow him into the room. When the door closed behind him, he snuck a small peck on her cheek. “I’m just dropping in your phone charger. You left it at mine last night.”  
“Thanks. I was looking for that everywhere this morning.”  
“How’s the first day back?” Oliver leant against the side of her desk as she returned to her chair.  
“Not too bad. Detective Lance called in. I told him I was no longer helping the vigilante.”  
“Did he buy it?” Oliver’s forehead creased upwards.  
“I think so. We talked a little about you too.”  
“I thought you were talking about me.”  
“The other you I mean.” She punched him playfully on the leg.  
“Anything interesting?”  
“Nah. I just think that he might some day not hate you.”  
“That’s definite progress then.” Oliver shifter slightly closer to her, along her desk. “Look Felicity. I supposed to go to this legal aid benefit tomorrow night and I was hoping you’d come with me.”  
“In public?” Felicity looked started.  
“Most people already know about us Felicity. I don’t want to keep you hidden away forever. I want to show you off to the world. Thea is coming too and she wants to drag you dress shopping on your lunch tomorrow. She said she wants to get you a welcome back present.”  
“Um. Well if you’re sure…”  
“I’m more than sure. I’ll even send Diggle out on some Hood activities tomorrow night to throw any suspicion away from me in case you’re still worried about Detective Lance. Please?” Oliver pulled her hand towards him, kissing her fingers individually.  
“”Ok so. I’d love to.”  
“Great. I’ll talk to you later so.” Oliver leant down to give Felicity a goodbye kiss but as he did Walter Steel walked in the door, a startled look on his face.  
“Oh my god Felicity I’m so sorry. I’ve been used to barging into your empty office for the last few weeks so forgot to knock. Oliver, how are you?” Walter tried to compose himself slightly.  
Oliver walked towards the man and gave him a warm handshake. “I’m good Walter. Sorry I was just leaving. Don’t want to be interrupting your employees work.”  
“We should have lunch soon Oliver,” Walter said in his soothing tones.  
“Definitely,” Oliver replied, giving a quick smile in Felicity’s direction as he left.  
When he was gone Walter asked, somewhat bashfully: “I don’t mean to pry but how long are you seeing each other? I suspected something when you visited me in the hospital.”  
“Well we were just friends then. You could say your kidnapping made us friendly but things developed between us since then.”  
“Well I’m glad something positive came out of that whole experience.” Felicity saw Walter wince slightly at the memory of the time he was held captive. “Well I was dropping these files to you and wanted to say welcome back. We’ve missed you around here.”  
“Thank you. I appreciate that.”

The next day at lunch Thea collected Felicity from Queen Consolidated. Felicity didn’t think she would ever get used to being driven around by a chauffeur. Felicity thought she could talk alot but Thea managed to outdo her significantly. She babbled on for the whole ride about different dresses and accessories. They arrived at the dress shop. It was a very exclusive boutique that Thea had booked out for the hour. Thea had Felicity try on dozens of dresses but when she exited the dressing room wearing a midnight blue dress, she knew from Thea and the shop assistant’s faces that this was the right one.  
“You look spectacular,” Thea said. “Ollie is going to be speechless when he sees you. He is one lucky man.” Felicity blushed at the young girl’s compliments.  
“Well I’ll take your word on that one,” Felicity said as the shop assistant went to locate a matching hair-pin.  
“You know Felicity you’re honestly the best thing that’s ever happened to him. After everything he’s been through, it’s like none of it ever happened when I see him with you. He had a fake smile when he came back from the island first and I knew he wasn’t right but now he has a real smile. For the few weeks when he was without you- his own stupid fault- he was a lost man. He really does love you.” Thea hugged Felicity tight.  
“And I love him too,” the words were out of her mouth before she could think whether it was an appropriate thing to say to his sister. The two women had such a strong bond- it was like they had known each other for a long time. They continued excitedly on their preparations for that night’s event.


	28. Chapter 28

Hidden Chapter 28  
Felicity had made sure she got out of work on time today. She just had enough time to get home, shower, do her hair and make-up and slip into her new dress. She had fought hard with Thea in the shop to pay for it herself but Thea had forbidden her from paying. She said it was a present to welcome her back. Felicity had been secretly delighted though when she brought the dress home and saw the price tag was a month’s wages for her.  
Felicity had her tablet propped up in front of her watching a youtube video of how to do an elegant upstyle in her hair. She knew she wouldn’t have time to go to a hairdressers this evening. She managed to pull it up with a few curls hanging out and hairsprayed it in place. She heard the doorbell ring and hurriedly tried to find her shoes, nearly tripping over herself as she went.   
She answered the door to see a dashing Oliver standing there. He stood in the doorway, his mouth ajar for a minute, admiring Felicity. She cocked her head to the side and smiled at him. “You like?”  
Oliver cleared his throat. “Oh boy I like it. Wow.” He pulled her towards him, his mouth on hers, his hands on her hips.  
Felicity reluctantly pulled away from their kiss. “I just have to put on my shoes and put on lipstick and I’ll be done.” He could hear her still talking from the bedroom as she scurried around. “You know I’m not the best in public situations like this. I tend to get nervous and you know what happens when I get nervous. And then there was this one time at my junior prom that I tripped over my dress and knocked my poor date to the ground and he hit his head and needed stitches. So as you can see maybe you should just try to get out of this night if you can…” Felicity was still babbling as she returned to this living room where she found a smiling Oliver.  
“I wouldn’t cancel this night for the world.” He held out to her a wrapped box. “I know you’ve probably already got your jewelry matched to your dress or whatever you girls do so you don’t have to wear it tonight. It’s just I saw it in a window today and thought you might like it.”  
“Oliver,” Felicity smiled, taking the box. “You didn’t need to buy me anything.”  
“I didn’t need to. I wanted to. Open it.” Oliver stood expectantly, his hands behind his back.  
Felicity opened the fine paper and inside the box there was a stunning bracelet, loaded with stones. “Oliver? These are diamonds. This is too much.”  
“Nothing is too much for you.” Oliver was already opening the clasp on the bracelet to put on her delicate wrists. “And they’re conflict free diamonds. I knew you’d want that.”  
Felicity went to give Oliver a kiss but he faltered for a second. “What’s wrong?”  
“I don’t want to smudge your makeup.”   
“I can reapply,” Felicity grinned while pulling him towards her by the lapel of the jacket.

When they neared the car, Thea’s usual driver was holding the door. “So you did send John out on a few visible missions tonight?” Felicity whispered.  
“Yeah. I hope you don’t mind we’re sharing the car with these delinquents,” Oliver said good-naturedly as he helped Felicity into the car. There waiting for her were Thea and a very uncomfortable looking Roy.  
“Hey. We’re not…or wait I suppose both of us do have records. But so do you Ollie.” Felicity loved seeing the sibling banter between these two. “What kept you guys like fifteen minutes? We were going to send a search party. You guys weren’t… yuck please tell me you guys weren’t...” Thea made a horrified face to her brother.  
“Well you did help choose the dress. You have to live with those consequences,” Oliver teased.  
“Roy, cover your ears. Don’t listen to this.” Thea looked towards an even more uncomfortable looking silent Roy.

When they arrived at the museum where the benefit was being held Oliver moved in closer to Felicity. “So I probably should warn you that there will be alot of press outside this thing looking for pictures. Just smile.”  
“What if I trip and fall flat on my face?”  
“Just hold on to me tight,” Oliver whispered in her ear.  
“This time I don’t have to imagine you saying that under platonic circumstances.” They both snickered, remembering their escapades in the elevator shaft of Merlyn Global.  
Whenever they stopped at the entrance, Thea dragged a reluctant looking Roy out first. Felicity could see the flashes snapping non-stop. Oliver got out next and offered her his hand. “Ready?” he asked as she exited the door of the limo.  
Oliver looped his arm into hers as Felicity was bombarded with camera flashes and reporters shouting questions in her direction. Oliver leant in towards her. “Have I told you tonight you look stunning?” This elicited a beautiful smile from the woman on his arm.   
When they entered the building, Felicity realized she had been holding her breath. “I think I’m blind now. Yep definitely seeing stars. I feel like a cartoon character that’s been just hit on the head.”  
“You did great. Relax now,” Oliver said, taking champagne from a passing waiter’s tray and handing it to her. “We just mill around and politely say hi to a few people. Then we bid in the silent auction. If you see anything you like just tell me and I’ll make sure you get it. It’s fun. And I promise not to abandon you with anyone but my sister.”  
“I thought I looked uncomfortable but Roy looks worse.” They both looked over and laughed as the young man pulled at his suit jacket while Thea slapped his hands down like a child.

Oliver had been right. It wasn’t that bad. Felicity had more champagne, ate a few canapés and was introduced to some rich people whose names she’d never remember. After an hour or so she saw walking towards them a very recognizable brunette. She wore an elegant golden dress. Felicity suddenly lost the ability to speak- a rarity in her case. Oliver obviously spotted her at the same time as she saw him put on his playboy false smile that Felicity didn’t like but knew its necessity.   
“Laurel. Good to see you,” Oliver said placing a chaste kiss on her cheek. “This is obviously a favorite charity of yours.”  
“Hello Oliver. Yeah this kept CNRI in business when I worked there. Felicity right?” Laurel put her hand out to shake Felicity’s. Felicity awkwardly tried to switch her champagne to another hand while not dropping her clutch bag.  
“Yes. Felicity. That’s me.” Felicity couldn’t think of anything to say but she managed: “Love the dress. Looks great on you.”  
“Thank you. And yours too.” The three exchanged some empty pleasantries for a few minutes and then Laurel excused herself to talk to the police commissioner.   
“That didn’t go too badly. I think,” Oliver said.  
“She looks stunning,” Felicity answered, still looking in Laurel’s direction. Oliver wasn’t quite sure if this was a test.  
“She does look stunning Felicity. But you know what?” Oliver took her hand in his. “Since I have been with you, a parade of gorgeous women could walk in front of me and I could objectively tell you they are gorgeous but feel nothing. I have you and I don’t ever need to look at anybody else. You make me happier than a stadium full of naked cheerleaders could. I don’t need anyone else but you.”  
Felicity was gob smacked when he finished. “You are so sweet.”  
“I’m not saying it just to be sweet. It’s true.” Oliver leant in closer so only she could hear. “It’s taking all my resolve not to throw you across that bar and have my way with you right now. Screw everyone else.”  
“Well hold some of that enthusiasm for later and I’ll make it worth your while,” Felicity said, pulling Oliver into a gentle kiss. Felicity looked at Oliver and knew she had never felt about another person the way she felt about him. He did look at her too like there was nobody else in the world.  
“Come with me. I want to show you something,” Oliver said suddenly, taking her hand. She popped her empty glass down on the bar and followed him. They went through half empty galleries to a small empty gallery at the far side of the museum. Felicity didn’t see security but figured that the museum obviously trusted all these rich people to not destroy the place.  
The room they entered had only a few paintings and the room was poorly lit. In the center was a fountain with a small stream of water from the top and the water illuminated with blue lights from the bottom. The light bathed the whole room in blue. It was quiet except for the small trickle of water from the top. Felicity sat on the marble at the edge of the fountain and looked around at the beauty of the room.  
“This is my favorite gallery in the museum. It’s so peaceful.”  
“I didn’t really take you as a museum lover Oliver.”  
Oliver walked towards her, looking around. “Well I’m not. But this room is so peaceful.” As he walked towards Felicity he suddenly stopped. He looked at her in the blue glow. This beautiful, smart, sexy woman who is self-effacing and loyal. He couldn’t imagine how he could be any luckier. A thought struck him. He walked towards her and took her hands in his. “Felicity. Will you marry me?”  
Felicity nearly fell backwards into the fountain she got such a shock but Oliver’s hands were keeping her steady. “What? Did you say marry?”  
“Yeah marry. Like be my wife.”  
“Oliver I don’t think you’ve thought this through. You don’t have to prove…”  
“I’ve thought it through. I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you until we’re old and wrinkly with fifty grandkids running around. I know I don’t want anyone else in my life. I know that I want to wake up with you every morning. I’m not trying to just prove something.”  
“What about your ‘night-time activities’?”  
“What about them? I’ll continue or give it up. I don’t know. They’re just details. Small details. If you marry me you’ll be the most important thing and we can figure the rest out together. We can have a huge wedding or just the two of us. I don’t mind. Whatever makes you happy.”  
Felicity was silent. Quieter than he had seen her in a long time. Finally she said, “I love you Oliver.”  
“Is there a but?” Oliver waited with baited breath, his palms now feeling sweaty.  
“No but. Yes. I’d love to marry you.” Felicity stood up and threw her arms around his neck. She pulled back slightly, “No take backsies though?”  
“Definitely no take backsies. I promise.” Oliver held his new fiancé tightly against him. He felt euphoric. He could feel her heart beating strongly against his chest. He pulled back slightly. “I wish I had a ring now.”  
“You know I don’t worry about those kind of things.”  
“I know you don’t but I’m still getting you the biggest ring that you can carry. Thank you.”  
Felicity looked confused. “For what?”  
“For making me a complete man. For taking me from the broken wreck I was to being whole again. I love you.” Oliver held her in his arms for the longest time, neither of them wanting this moment to ever end.


End file.
